MINIMUMWEIGHT CHAMP MOISES FUENTES GOES UP IN WEIGHT, BECOMES NIETES' MANDATORY CHALLENGER
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 26 Oct 2012
HOLLYWOOD, FL ? WBO minimumweight champ Moises Fuentes of Mexico will go up one weight class higher and will become the mandatory challenger of minifly champ Donnie Nietes of the Philippines, this was one of the issues settled during the last day of deliberations by the WBO executive committee chaired by its president Francisco 'Paco' Valcarcel during the WBO 25th annual convention Thursday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Nietes, who won the 108 lbs belt in October last year against Ramon Garcia Hirales in Bacolod City, was due to fight a mandatory challenger, according the WBO rules.
Fuentes (16-1-0, 8KOs) won the 105 lb belt in August last year against Raul Garcia in Jalisco, Mexico and successfully defended it twice the last one was against the ageing Ivan Calderon of Puerto Rico only this month on Oct. 6 at Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Calderon's hometown. Fuentes's only loss was a 12-round split decision against fellow Mexican Juan Hernandez (20-2-0, 14KO) in May last year.
Fuentes going up in weight to challenge the higher weight category champion was exactly the same route that Nietes took when the snake charmer from Negros Occidental in the Philippines who reigned as 105 lb belt holder for four years, gave up his belt to climb one weight class higher and became the mandatory challenger of 108 lb champion Ramon Garcia Hirales.
The handlers of Nietes and Fuentes, ALA Promotions and Zanfer Promotions respectively, were given by the WBO 30 days to conclude the negotiation and 90 days to make the fight. ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer indicated that they have already calendared Feb. 2 next year for Nietes to defend his title in the 'Pinoy Pride' series.
?Yes, we have the Feb. 2 date for Nietes,? Aldeguer said. ?But it all depends what comes out in the negotiations with Zanfer. As far as I know, Zanfer wants to bring the Nietes-Fuentes fight in Mexico as a return favor because they allowed as to stage the Nietes-Garcia Hirales fight in Bacolod City last year.? Garcia-Hirales was also handled by Zanfer Promotions, Mexico's biggest boxing promotional outfit.
?So let's see what transpires in our negotiations with Zanfer and we hope to finalize everything before we return to the Philippines,? said the youthful mover of the Philippines' biggest promotional outfit. Aldeguer, together with ALA Vice-President Dennis Canete will be staying in the US for another three weeks, partly to arrange for a possible staging of the hightly successful 'Pinoy Pride' series in some parts of the United States.
Nietes, meanwhile may take a tune up bout next month in Dumaguete City to take away some rust as Nietes last fought four months ago in Manila. ?We will know by the weekend if Donnie's planned tune up fight next month will push thru,? Canete told Philboxing.
Photo: Nietes (L) and Salguero during their last battle at the Resorts World in Manila June 2, 2012.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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