NIETES CEMENTS LEGACY WITH SPECTACULAR KNOCKOUT VICTORY OVER FUENTES
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 12 May 2014
CEBU ? With a spectacular performance Saturday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City where he stopped mandatory challenger and Ring No. 3 light flyweight Moises Fuentes of Mexico in the 9th round, WBO world champion Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes will now be remembered as one of the greatest fighters in the annals of Philippine boxing.
Nietes' feat puts him on track to break the long-standing record of Philippine great and Boxing Hall of Famer Gabriel 'Flash' Elorde as the longest reigning Filipino world champion. Elorde reigned as world junior lightweight champion for seven years and three months from March 16, 1960 to June 15, 1967. Nietes, who won the WBO minimumweight title on Sep. 30, 2007 and then the WBO light flyweight title on Oct. 8, 2011, will break Elorde's record on December 31, 2014. By letting the year expire without fighting, Nietes will automatically break Elorde's record. But during the post-fight press conference at the MOA Arena Saturday night, ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said that Nietes might fight once or twice during the remainder of the year.
With the win, Nietes also became The Ring light flyweight champion, also known as a lineal title, a notional world championship title universally acclaimed as the best in the weight class. The Ring started awarding world championships or lineal belts in 1922 and one can become champion only by beating the current champion or if the title is vacant, the No. 1 rated fighter fights No. 2 or No. 3. Nietes was rated by The Ring as No. 1 and Fuentes No. 3 when they fought Saturday. Only ten Filpino boxers in history have captured a lineal title, they are Francisco Guilledo (Pancho Villa), Dado Marino, Gabriel 'Flash' Elorde, Ben Villaflor, Erbito Salavarria, Frank Cede?o, Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire Jr, Sonny Boy Jaro and Nietes.
Nietes carries an impressive resume of 33 wins, 1 loss and 4 draws with 19 knockouts. He defeated seven opponents who were former or future world champions in Pornsawan Porpramook, Manuel Vargas, Jesus Silvestre, Mario Rodriguez, Ramon Garcia Hirales and Moises Fuentes. Nietes successfully defended his WBO minimumweight title four times and his WBO light flyweight title four times. He also successfully defended his title three times inside enemy territory in Mexico against Erik Ramirez (Oaxaca, Feb 2009), Manuel Vargas (Nayarit, Sep 2009) and Mario Rodriguez (Guasave, Aug 2010). His only loss was against Anky Angkota of Indonesia in a questionable split decision verdict where Angkota came in 6 lbs over the weight limit at Angkota's backyard in Jakarta on Sep. 28, 2004.
Humble and unassuming, Nietes also floored the critics alongside Fuentes, who for sometime, have been critical of Nietes for his passive boxing style and his purported lack of stamina. ?I am aware of the criticisms from the fans, that I am weak, I have no stamina. I had to prove something,? Nietes told ABS-CBN's Dyan Castillejo during the post-fight interview.
Finally, in another important world championship event where the ALA stable's reputation was again put on the line and where previously ALA had more than its share of heartbreaks ? and in one of the most important fights in Philippine boxing history ? Nietes delivered and in a highly impressive fashion. The shy boy from Murcia, Negros Occidental, who started at the ALA Gym as a janitor, is now the flag bearer of the famed Cebu sweatshop and the pride of the Philippines whose name should now be appropriately placed in the pantheon of Philippine boxing greats.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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