Tuesday, October 02, 2007 World champ Nietes arriving Wednesday By Henry C. Villalva
MURCIA, Negros Occidental native Donnie Nietes, the newly crowned World Boxing Organization (WBO) mini-flyweight champion, is arriving Wednesday together with Cebu-based Negrense boxing patron Antonio Lopez Aldeguer to visit his family and to pay a courtesy call on Murcia Mayor Esteban Coscolluela.
This was revealed to Sun.Star Monday by Negros Amateur Boxing Association (Naba) officials led by former Bacolod councilor Juan Ramon Guanzon, Vic Tan, Toto Regalado and Atty. Romulo Gonzaga who were at ringside Sunday night at the plush Cebu Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City to witness the former Naba amateur standout post a convincing unanimous decision win over Thai Pornsawan Kratingdaenggym for the vacant WBO title.
Other Filipino pugs who won their bouts during last Sunday’s promotion were AJ “Bazooka” Banal who knocked out Mexican Esau Gaona in the first round for the WBO youth superfly championship crown and Robert Allanic who posted an 11th round KO victory over Korean In Suk Song for the WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight championship.
Also posting wins during last Sunday’s packed boxing event were Korean Yong Seong Kim who defeated Thai Sarapetch Sor Sakaorat via KO in the fifth round for the WBO interim inter-continental jr. welterweight crown; Hero Katili of Indonesia over Do Seuh Ooh of Korea for the WBF Asia-Pacific junior welterweight championship via unanimous decision; Rocky Fuentes who defeated former amateur standout Danilo Lerio (unanimous decision) for the RP flyweight championship; and James Bacon who fashioned a third round KO of Roldan Sayson in a four-round special attraction.
Both Guanzon and Aldeguer hailed Nietes’ world championship win as a feat that will help inspire more Negrense boxers to aspire for success in pro boxing.
“I hope Nietes’ feat will lead more Negrense boxers—even those in the amateur ranks—to aspire for a bright future by venturing as pro boxers so they can help elevate the economic and social status of their families through boxing as a profession,” Guanzon said.
Aldeguer had told Bacolod newsmen in an earlier interview held at the residence of Rep. Monico O. Puentevella (lone district, Bacolod City) that he will try to help stage Nietes’ first title defense here in Bacolod city in order to help further promote boxing in this part of the country.
