NIETES MAKES AN EMPHATIC STATEMENT, STOPS FUENTES IN NINE ROUNDS (PHOTOS)
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 11 May 2014
PASAY CITY ? In one of the more important title fights in the history of Philippine boxing, Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes delivered in style.
The defending WBO light flyweight champion knew there were lingering questions and negative comments from fans and sportswriters going into his rematch with Moises Fuentes of Mexico. But this only gave him and his team added fuel to deliver a career best performance.
In the early rounds, Nietes gave Fuentes different looks with his lateral movement and peppered the Mexican with a sharp jab, swift right and occasional hooks to the body.
Fuentes was aggressive but Nietes? accurate counters made him win the close rounds. Fuentes shifted his attack to Nietes? midsection in the third, but Nietes countered with his own body shots in the fourth, including a hook to the ribs that hurt Fuentes.
Fuentes missed a lot in the fifth round but he maintained his pressure. The seventh round was pivotal. This was the first round that was not close and it belonged to Nietes. The champ broke through with successive hard rights that shook Fuentes. Nietes continued his momentum in the eighth with pinpoint counters.
Nietes (R) connects with a left on Fuentes.
Referee Robert Byrd motions Nietes (L) to go to the neutral corner after Nietes sends Fuentes to the canvas.
Nietes (C) looks at the downed Fuentes after Fuentes visited the canvas for the 2nd time.
Team Nietes celebrates after the victory.
Referee Robert Byrd raises Nietes' hands after Nietes retains his WBO light flyweight title.
In the ninth, Nietes launched a one two volley sending Fuentes down. Nietes? momentum carried him to punch Fuentes while he was down earning a point deduction from referee Robert Byrd.
This may have given Fuentes a few extra seconds but it not delay the inevitable. With the crowd screaming like madmen, Nietes delivered another stunning right hand sending Fuentes down for the second time. The Mexican looked stunned when he got up and Nietes delivered the coup de grace.
Fuentes was dropped by another right hand shot and referee Byrd decided to call a halt to the carnage. Time 2:56.
Cheers reverberated throughout the Mall of Asia arena. The title remained in Philippine hands and Nietes also earned Ring magazine?s linear historic title for the 108 lb division.
Nietes was mobbed by fans and sports scribes at ringside. ?Masyado akong gigil,? Nietes said during the post-fight press conference when asked how he got a point deduction. (I was too eager to finish him).
?I really prepared hard for this, we studied the tape of our first fight.? Nietes said. This was echoed by trainer Edmund Villamor. ?I never noticed any adjustment from them,? Nietes told this writer, ?He was still using the same strategy he sued in our first fight.? Nietes said he was patient in the first half of the fight, conserving his stamina for the long battle. But his investment in body shots, even when they were not that frequent, was one of the turning points of the fight.
?I am aware of the criticisms from the fans, that I am weak, I have no stamina.? Nietes said. ?I had to prove something.? ?We really studied hard the films of Fuentes,? ALA Gym patriarch Antonio Aldeguer told this writer, ?I prayed for a win, this was a bonus.?
Promoter Michael Aldeguer said during the presscon that Nietes will be targeting the big names out there. He mentioned Roman Gonzales and WBO/WBA flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada.
Nietes now joins the short list of Filipino boxers who have won linear titles. He is also closing on the seven year reign of the legendary junior lightweight champion Flash Elorde.
This was also a crucial moment for the country?s biggest promotional company. For the fans, it was a moment for ?Pinoy Pride.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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