Wednesday, October 03, 2007 Murcia gives Nietes a hero's welcome today By Henry C. Villalva
NEWLY crowned World Boxing Organization (WBO) mini-flyweight champion Donnie Nietes will be given a hero's welcome when he arrives at noon Wednesday in his hometown Murcia, Negros Occidental fresh from his triumph last Sunday at the Cebu Waterfront Hotel where he defeated Thai Pornsawan Kratingdaenggym.
Nietes is scheduled to arrive at the Bacolod airport from Cebu at 8:30 a.m. where he will be met by a group representing the congressional district office of Bacolod Rep. Monico O. Puentevella, the Municipality of Murcia, the Provincial Sports Development Office and the Negros Amateur Boxing Association (NABA).
From the airport Nietes and his party will go direct to the Business Inn hotel where a press conference will be held courtesy of Puentevella and his son Monico Jr., who is behind the soon-to-be-launched Golden Gloves Bacolod Inter-Barangay Amateur Boxing Tournament.
Nietes will then proceed to pay a courtesy call at the office of Gov. Joseph Marañon after which he will proceed to Murcia town where he is scheduled to receive a cash gift from Mayor Esteban Coscolluela in an appropriate ceremony at the mayor's office.
During the press conference at the Business Inn Nietes is also expected to be presented with a copy of a congressional resolution of commendation authored by Puentevella.
A motorcade from the provincial capitol to Murcia town will be held starting 11:00 a.m., according to NABA president and former Bacolod councilor Juan Ramon Guanzon, who is coordinating the arrival of Nietes from Cebu together with NABA vice president for south Negros Oscar Bascon, treasurer Vic Tan, Coscolluela and the younger Puentevella, among others.
During Tuesday's NABA meeting held at the Guanzon residence, it was raised that Cebu-based Negrense boxing patron Antonio Lopez Aldeguer will not be able to arrive together with Nietes due to pressing boxing appointments in Cebu City.
Tan told Sun.Star during the meeting that the association is looking forward to promoting Nietes's first title defense as promised by Aldeguer sometime next year in cooperation with Puentevella.
