PINOY PRIDE IX: NIETES OUTPOINTS GARCIA HIRALES; CAPTURES 2ND DIVISION TITLE (PHOTOS)
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 09 Oct 2011
Bacolod City ? Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes and Ramon ?Principe? Garcia Hirales started tentatively; with a lot of probing and feinting. Nietes threw more punches and took the opening round. Nietes tried to cut the ring off as Garcia was more content to move and counter. Nietes? right hand found its range in the third and landed the more telling blows. He easily picked off Garcia?s shots with his gloves. Nietes also used his right uppercut to perfection as he hung on to a small lead past the halfway mark.
Garcia sensed that the title was slipping away and attacked the challenger?s body. Nietes moved around and picked his angles but the Mexican was relentless.
Nietes looked spent going into 8th till 10th rounds and this provided anxious moments for the partisan crowd.
A clash of heads in the 11th lead to a cut on Nietes? left eyebrow. Both boxers missed wildly in a spine tingling final round.
The scores ? Atty. Danrex Tapdasan ? 115-113, Carlos Ortiz ? 117-111 and Lisa Giampa 118-110 for the native of Murcia, Negros Occidental. Nietes (29W-1L-3D, 16 KO?s) now joins the list of Filipinos who won at least two titles in different weight divisions ? the Penalosa brothers Dodie and Gerry, Luisito Espinosa, Manny Pacquiao (8 titles) , Nonito Donaire and Brian Viloria.
Top photo: Bacolod mayor Bing Leonardia awards Nietes with a trophy after Nietes wrested the title from Garcia.
BANAL HANDS BRIONES HIS FIRST LOSS
AJ ?Bazooka? Banal gave a masterful boxing display and retained his WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight title against Mario Briones of Mexico. Briones was a sucker for Banal?s right hook and he could not find his range and his long reach proved ineffective due to Banal?s speed and lateral movement. Briones was rocked several times but hung tough.
Referee Bruce McTavish had points deducted - Banal for low blows and Briones for using his elbow to hold Banal and again for low blows. Briones (20W-1L-1D, 14 KO?s) gave one last stand in the endgame as Banal (26W-1L-1D, 19 KO?s) chose to play defense. The crowd egged Banal on and both fighters threw hard shots to end the fight. The scores ? 118-107, 115-110 and 117-108.
Banal celebrates after the fight.
Photo by Dong Secuya.
THE PRINCE TAMES THE PANTHER
?Prince? Albert Pagara scored three knockdowns and won by a lopsided eight round unanimous decision against Shabani ?Black Panther? Madilu of Tanzania. Madilu was the aggressor but he walked into a counter left hook in the opening round.
Pagara (8W-0L, 6 KO?s) sent Madilu down again in the second, again courtesy of a left hook. Pagara?s long reach and lateral movement proved to be the deciding factor in this fight but Madilu showed heart by continuing to move forward.
A stunning volley sent the East African down again in the fourth. Madilu (12W-7L-3D, 6 KO?s) was able to withstand barrage after barrage until the final bell. The scorecards read ? 80-69, 80-69 and 78-71. To Madilu?s credit, he stopped the streak of knockout losses suffered by his countrymen at the hands of ALA boxers.
POSTSCRIPT:
This writer had it closer and agrees with the margin of Judge Tapdasan?s scorecard of 115-113. A quick poll among those at ringside ?Bruce McTavish 116-112, Dong Secuya ? 116-112 for Nietes, Carlos Costa had it 115-113 for Garcia Hirales.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Press Conference Notes: Puerto Rican Star Xander Zayas Ready for Saturday's Hometown Unification Battle against Abass Baraou
Fri, 30 Jan 2026PFDA Grass Nationals in Tagum on June 5-7
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 30 Jan 2026‘THE RING 6’ TEOFIMO LOPEZ VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 30 Jan 2026NEWCASTLE PRESS CONFERENCE: WHAT WAS SAID AS JOSH KELLY AND BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV ARE KEPT APART AFTER HEATED FACE-OFF
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Weights From ProBoxTV’s ‘Flores vs. Castillo’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland
Fri, 30 Jan 2026WAPA Deportes Confirmed as Puerto Rican Broadcast Home for Saturday’s Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou Title Unification Showdown
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Legendary Panamanian Juan Carlos Tapia will be inducted into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 30 Jan 2026Manny Pacquiao Promotions Announces Additional Matchups for Saturday, February 28 Event at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York
Fri, 30 Jan 2026SWERVE TV STRIKES MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS TO EXPAND PREMIUM BOXING CONTENT
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Leuenbergers to join IRONMAN® 70.3 Davao
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 30 Jan 2026Open Workout: Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou Prepare For Saturday's Unification Showdown in Puerto Rico
Thu, 29 Jan 2026Cabrera-Zapata Kicks Off All Star Boxing's 2026 Season
Thu, 29 Jan 2026Manny Pacquiao Chess Philippines: Cash prizes, FIDE rating at stakes this Sunday
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 29 Jan 2026IBP Fun Run & Family Day on February 15
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 29 Jan 2026TEOFIMO LOPEZ AND SHAKUR STEVENSON FACE-OFF AT KNICKS GAME AS COUNTDOWN TO ‘THE RING 6’ ON SATURDAY BEGINS
Wed, 28 Jan 2026