REMATCH FOR GLORY SHOWCASES PINOY PRIDE AT ITS BEST
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 09 May 2014
One of the most eagerly awaited world title fights that has taken more than one year in the making pits WBO light flyweight champion Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes (32-1-4, 18 KO?s) against Interim champion and mandatory challenger Moises Fuentes (19-1-1, 10 KO?s) of Mexico in a fight that is expected to put ?Pinoy Pride? on the line.
At the same time ALA Promotions youthful president Michael Aldeguer said he was elated to be able to bring such a top caliber world title fight to the Philippines and expected the public to support the continuing effort to make Manila the epicenter of boxing in Asia.
The No. 1 boxing show in the country which is telecast on Sundays at 10:15 a.m. over the pre-eminent Channel 2 of the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN will be available ?live? on Sky Cable and over the global network, The Filipino Channel (TFC).
Its tremendous ratings are expected to soar even higher considering the quality of the fights in another display of the storied Philippine-Mexican rivalry.
A supremely confident Nietes who is reportedly in terrific condition according to strength and conditioning coach Nick Curson told the Manila Standard that while Fuentes brags he will win the rematch and take the title back to Mexico, ?he?ll only do that over my dead body.?
Fuentes who failed to grab the title in a battle royale last March 16, 2013 in Cebu when the two American judges Adalaide Byrd and Pat Russel scored the fight a 114-114 draw while Filipino judge Atty. Danrex Tapdasan had Nietes the winner 115-113, has undergone high altitude training at the gym of Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera who flew to Mexico City regularly to check on the training of Fuentes.
The referee is the renowned Robert Byrd while the judges are the widely respected Robert Hoyle of Las Vegas, Waleska Roldan of New York and Spain?s Fernando Lanes. Fight supervisor is WBO Asia Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo.
Barrera said Fuentes will be one hundred percent better than in the first fight with Nietes where he didn?t take his training seriously. Barrera, a popular figure in the Philippines said that while he respects Nietes a great deal he expects Fuentes to win by a knockout, possibly in three rounds.
Fuentes himself said ?this is the fight of my life and if Nietes doesn?t run, we will have a great fight.?
Both fighters tipped the scales at the 108 pound limit and looked ripped and ready although the taller Mexican looked bulked up compared to Nietes.
In the main supporting bout for the WBO International flyweight title, former world title challenger Milan Melindo who lost by a unanimous twelve round decision to WBO/WBA champion Juan Francisco Estrada in Macau, battles aggressive Martin ?Diablo? Tecuapetla whose record of 11-5-2 with 8 knockouts doesn?t do justice to the entertaining fighter who, in his last bout, scored a unanimous ten round decision over world rated Gilberto Parra on November 2, 2013.
Melindo who has a record of 30-1 with 12 knockouts, believes Tecuapetla who throws a lot of punches but doesn?t connect a high percentage is tailor-made for his efficient counter-punching style and expects to put the Mexican away at the first opportunity.
Melindo and Tecuapetla were both one pound under the 112 pound limit.
Fight fans are looking forward to the return of one of the most charismatic and exciting fighters in the country, Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista who takes on Mexico?s rugged Sergio ?El Cuate? Villanueva in a ten round super featherweight/junior lightweight bout with both fighters tipping the scales at exactly 130 pounds.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told us that Bautista had trained harder than ever and wanted to show fight fans he is capable of getting to the top once again which is backed up by Curson who said ?Boom Boom? now has excellent head movement and has improved in his lateral movements and has regained his explosiveness and will surprise fans with his performance.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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