NIETES-FUENTES WORLD CHAMPIONS FIGHT SIDELIGHTS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 03 Mar 2013
CEBU CITY - It was a real World Champion versus World Champion affair as both WBO junior flyweight champion Donnie Nietes and WBO minimum weight champion Moises Fuentes clashed in a hard fought battle last night at the Waterfront Hotel & Casino in Barangay Lahug here.
Judges Adalaide Byrd and Patrick Russell from the United States scored it 114-114 even for both champions, while Danrex Joseph V. Tapdasan from the Philippines had it 115-113 for Nietes, which resulted in a majority draw. The WBO supervisor was Leon Panoncillo Jr. Nietes retained his WBO junior flyweight belt because of the draw.
Most of the audience were convinced that the draw was a fair decision. Nietes was dominant in the early rounds of the fight. But the tempo switched to Fuentes when Nietes suffered cuts above the eyebrow. The Mexican ruled the middle part of the 12-round tussle when ?Ahas? seemed to lose steam with the sting of his punches vanished.
But the last two rounds when Nietes danced and punched ala Sugar Ray Leonard prove to be the recovery period for the ALA world champion to the delight of the crowd which overflowed the Grand Pacific Ballroom. He piled up points while at the same time escaping the dangerous assault of the Mexican rival.
The fans wanted to see a rematch of the epic battle of champions. ALA Promotions would be willing to negotiate for an encore. The interest of the multitude of fans trooping the fight venue deserved another showdown of the two world class protagonists.
American referee Jack Reiss from Valencia, California draw the ire of the pro-Nietes crowd when he stopped the fight many times giving warnings especially when the Filipino fighter dealt the Mexican some barrage of blows.
The star of the night was Mexican boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera who appeared on top of the ring and supported Fuentes in his corner. Barrera said he lost to a great Filipino world champion, the best of the best, in Manny Pacquiao.
Nietes contracted the fourth draw of his career. Previously he had a technical draw with Nino Suelo, a majority draw with Carlo Besares and another majority draw with Greg Mangan. He has 31 wins 17 of them by KO's and a single loss way back 2004 to Angky Angkotta of Indonesia, who lost to Genesis Servania last night by 7th round TKO in the supporting event.
On the other hand, it was Fuentes? first career draw with his 16 wins with 8 KO?s. His only career defeat was a split decision loss to fellow Mexican Juan Hernandez for the North American Boxing Federation minimumweight championship on February 2011.
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