PINOY PRIDE IX: DONNIE NIETES VIES FOR ANOTHER WORLD TITLE AGAINST RAMON GARCIA HIRALES ON OCT. 8
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 16 Sep 2011
CEBU CITY -- Former WBO minimumweight champion Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes of the ALA Gym will try to capture another world title in another weight class against defending champion Ramon Garcia Hirales of Mexico at Nietes's hometown in Bacolod City on October 8 for 'PINOY PRIDE IX', this was formally announced during the press conference held Thursday night at Harolds Hotel here.
The 29-year-old Nietes (28-1-3, 16KO), who won the WBO minimumweight title in 2007 and successfully defended it four times, has given up his 108-lb belt this year to campaign in flyweight division. Nietes's fight in Bacolod marks the first time since 2007 that the snake charmer will fight for a world title in his home country after successfully defending his title inside Mexico three times in the last three years.
Ramon Garcia Hirales (16-2-1 9KO) won the WBO flyweight title on April 30, 2011 against Jesus Geles of Columbia via 4th round knockout. This will be Hirales's first defense of the title. Hirales previously fought Filipino Johnriel Casimero for the WBO interim flyweight title last year where Hirales won by split decision.
"I can beat him (Hirales)," a confident Nietes told the Cebu media who added that his experience will be the difference.
Nietes, who leaves for Bacolod today where he will continue his training, said that he has already sparred more than a hundred rounds in preparation for this fight. 'Ahas' also informed that he will again carry a new snake into the ring after his old pet snake died of old age.
Meanwhile Team Garcia-Hirales will arrive in Manila on Sep. 21 to have a three-week stay in the Philippines so that Hirales will fully acclimatize himself and be fully prepared for the fight.
Also fighting in the undercard of 'PINOY PRIDE IX' is AJ 'Bazooka' Banal (25-1-1 19KO) who will go up against undefeated Mexican Mario Briones (20-0-1 14KO) for the WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight Championship. Banal hopes to have an impressive performance against Briones in order to make the long-awaited rematch against Rafael Concepcion of Panama who was the only boxer to put a blemish on his record.
Rising Bacolod native Arthur Villanueva (17-0-0 12KO) also fights on the card against Shaaban Madilu of Kenya while another Bacolod native Merlito Sabillo will go up against Terajes Singwancha of Baguio City for the OPBF minimumweight title.
The rest of the card features Prince Albert Pagara vs Richard Donaire; Jun Intor vs Gilbert Garciano; JP Artieda vs Kazuya Harada and Reymund Tabogon vs Lito Dante.
L-R: Merlito Sabillo, AJ Banal, Donnie Nietes and Arthur Villanueva pose during Thursday's presscon announcing their fights on Oct. 8 at the St. La Salle Gym in Bacolod City for 'PINOY PRIDE IX'.
Photos by Dong Secuya.
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