PINOY PRIDE IX PRESSCON: EXPECT A KNOCKOUT
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 06 Oct 2011
Bacolod City ? The Philippines vs Mexico rivalry has captured the imagination of fans worldwide. Two days from now, boxing fans from the island of Negros will get to see their first world championship fight and the unfolding of another bloody chapter of that rivalry when hometown hero and former WBO minimumweight champion Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes challenges WBO lt.flyweight champion Ramon ?Principe? Garcia Hirales of Baja California Sur.
Nietes will shoulder the burden of expectations in this fight. The local press corps are not content with just another win, they have pressed him to predict a knockout.
?I will knock him out if there is a chance.? Nietes said during the final pre-fight press conference held at the L?Fisher Hotel.
?I have seen the films of his fights many times. I am well prepared for this fight, I will knock him out if there is an opportunity.?
?I came very well prepared. I trained for several months. I am the champion, I will win? Garcia Hirales countered. ?I will fight for twelve rounds. The chance for a knock out is always there.?
The Mexican champion is not worried about Nietes? hometown advantage. ?The fans will not enter the ring. It will be just the two of us inside the ring when the fight starts.?
The WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight title will be on the line when defending champion AJ ?Bazooka? Banal fights another Mexican, Mario Macias.
?He is much taller but I?ll even things up when the fight starts,? Banal said of his much taller opponent. ?Ma ta-as siya, pero mag tupong ra mi ig sugod sa duwa.?
Macias said that he agrees with Hirales that in a twelve round fight, the chance of a knockout will come in any round.
ALA Promotions CEO Michael Aldeguer thanked the Negrenses and the people of Bacolod for their support. He expects a sell out crowd this Saturday. Fans in Cebu City can also see the fights on pay per view at SM Cinema and Sky cable.
Hirales? trainer Leo Camacho said that the best asset of his boxer is his heart. ?I teach my boxers to respect themselves and respect their rivals. I let them know they are human beings too. Respect them as athlete?s and persons in the ring.?
Also set to be seen on the pay per view part of the card is ?Prince? Albert Pagara who will face East African Shaaban Madilu. Pagara is a late sub for the injured Arthur Villanueva but is upbeat about his conditioning and readiness for this bout.
Madilu, from Tanzania, but now representing his trainer?s country of Kenya, is keen on avenging all the losses suffered by African boxers here in the Philippines.
The vacant OPBF minimumweight title will be on the line when Merlito Sabillo of Bacolod City fights Tejares Singwangcha of Baguio City.
Rounding up the undercards are Melvin Gumban vs Richard Donaire (8 rounds 116 lbs), Jun Intor vs Gilbert Garciano (4 rounds 122 lbs), JP Artieda vs Kazuya Harada (4 rounds 112 lbs) and Reymond Tabogon vs Lito Dante (4 rounds 110 lbs).
The official weigh-in will be at SM City at 12 noon Friday. Fight day, October 8, is at the St.La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod.
(Photo - Nietes, Garcia Hirales with ALA CEO Michael Aldeguer)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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