Saturday, August 30, 2008 WBO champ Nietes ready for Saturday's fight
NEGRENSE World Boxing Organization (WBO) minimumweight champion Donnie 'the Snakeman' Nietes of Murcia, Negros Occidental and Barangay Granada, Bacolod City said Friday he is ready to take on Nicaraguan challenger Eddy 'Torito' Castro when they clash Saturday night in one of the two featured title fights at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
"I have been through a lot of challenges just to get this belt and I would not just easily give it up," the former Negros Amateur Boxing Association (Naba) standout told a press conference last Wednesday at the venue of the fight, which is billed as "WBO Night of Champions."
"I want to win this one for my Negrense kababayans," Nietes told Sun.Star in a telephone interview Friday.
Nietes, who was denied recognition befitting a world champion by Bacolod officialdom after he won his WBO crown a year ago, said that despite his almost year-long hiatus, he will do everything to defend his title.
Saturday night's other featured title fight is between Filipino WBO Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight champion Rey 'Boom Boom' Bautista and Mexican challenger Eden Marquez.
Upon his arrival in Cebu last week, the Mexican challenger said he will win by knockout, but changed his tune in last Wednesday's press conference when he said he may not score a knockout but he will surely bring the title to Mexico.
Both Nietes and Bautista are training at the world famous ALA Gym of Cebu-based Negrense international boxing promoter Antonio 'Bidoy' Aldeguer.
Nietes and another ALA protégé - Gerry Peñalosa of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental - were honored December last year by the Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines (Scoop) Bacolod, headed by George Liza as co-Athletes of the Year 2007 during the annual Scoop Awards for Outstanding Athletes of Negros at the Casa Linda of Bascon Hotel.
Nietes is the first world champion to come off the ALA Stable.
Peñalosa, meanwhile, is also scheduled to defend his WBO bantamweight crown against challenger Nestor Rocha on September 20 in Tubod, Lanao Del Norte. (HCV)
