PINOY PRIDE XIV: SOLID CARD A FORERUNNER TO A BLOCKBUSTER SEQUEL
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 18 May 2012
CEBU CITY ? A solid three-fight treat ushers in Pinoy Pride XIV dubbed 'Night of Champions' this coming June 2 at the Resorts World Manila but everyone was looking to the upcoming blockbuster sequel if the main protagonists win their respective fights, this was gathered during the press conference held at the City Sports Club Cebu Friday afternoon.
WBO light flyweight champion Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes (29-1-3, 16KO) defends his title he won last October over Ramon Garcia Hirales against former world champion Felipe Salguero (16-2-0, 11KO) of Toluca, Mexico. The anticipation however is not how Nietes will fare against Salgado, but who will Nietes face after disposing Salgado. With the Cebu media and fans in dearth of a superfight in local shores in the mold of Montiel-Gorres and Gorres-Darchinyan fights, Nietes and ALA President Michael Aldeguer were asked if they are willing to unify the light flyweight belt by facing WBA champion Roman 'Chocolatio' Gonzales, the feared undefeated knockout artist from Nicaragua who disposed all but five of his 32 victims inside the distance. Both Aldeguer and Nietes answered in the affirmative and told the assembled media that they are actually looking to such an encounter. Nietes, specifically got excited when the question came up and answered in no uncertain terms that he wants the fight. Gonzalez himself also mentioned Nietes' name as one of the champions he wants to fight next after knocking out Ramon Garcia Hirales last April 28 in Pomona, California.
Nietes and his trainers however cautioned that they were not overlooking Salguero who ?just like any Mexican fighter, comes to fight to the end,? according to trainer Edito Villamor. Villamor added they were ?preparing to fight the whole twelve rounds of the championship bout.?
Undefeated Milan 'El Metodico' Melindo (26-0-0, 10KO) who have been perceived by many to have been long overdue for a title fight, takes on former WBO light flyweight titlist Jesus Geles (13-2-1, 5KO) of Columbia. Melindo is rated number one contender by the WBO in his division and is on collision course with Filipino-American champion Brian Viloria. Should Melindo gets past Geles on June 2, he will more likely become the mandatory challenger to Viloria. ?We don't want to fight a fellow Filipino for the title but if we cannot avoid it, we will take the fight,? Aldeguer said.
Viloria's manager Gary Gittelsohn, who was in Manila last week for Viloria's successful defense against Omar Nino Romero, earlier told Philboxing that they are looking to have a unification fight against WBA champion Hernan 'Tyson' Marquez of Mexico or against Roman Gonzalez if the Nicaraguan bomber is willing to come up in weight for Viloria's next fight.
Should Viloria and Melindo continue to win their fights, it could not be avoided that the two will eventually meet sooner or later. With Nietes vs Gonzalez on the horizon, we may end up two blockbuster bouts coming our way.
Meanwhile, up and coming undefeated ALA stalwart Genesis 'Azukal' Servania (17-0-0, 5KO) will face the real Genaro 'Poblanito' Garcia (38-8-0, 22KO) who wants to clean up his image after his name was being used by an impostor who went down in two rounds against Rey 'Boom Boom' Bautista in Bohol last February. Servania, who is in the real test of his young career, said he is excited to face Garcia who had already faced eight world champions and owned a rare knockout win over Mexican warrior Rafael Marquez.
In the undercard, Arthur Villanueva of Bacolod City will face Jeffrey Cerna of Manila; Ralph Lulu of Sultan Kudarat takes on Boyce Sultan of Zamboanga; Arjan Canillas of Toledo, Cebu faces Warren Manbuanag of Manila; Juren Labordo of Bacolod City exhanges leathers with Fel Morales of Manila; and Takaoki Noma of Japan takes on Eljhon Evangelista of Manila.
L-R: Trainer Edmund Villamor, Genesis Servania, Donnie Nietes, ALA President Michael Aldeguer, Milan Melino and trainer Edito Villamor pose during Friday's press conference at the City Sports Club Cebu. Photo by Dong Secuya.
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