Monday, September 01, 2008 Nietes KOs foe in 2nd round to keep crown By Henry C. Villalva
NEGRENSE World boxing Organization minimumweight champion Donnie 'the Snakeman' Nietes of Murcia, Negros Occidental and Barangay Granada, Bacolod City, retained his title Saturday by posting a second round knockout of Nicaraguan challenger Eddy 'Torito' Castro to the delight of the predominantly Cebuano hometown boxing crowd at the Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino in Cebu City.
"I am very happy with the win and with the way I fought and I want to thank all my supporters especially my Negrense kababayans who prayed for my victory," Nietes told Sun.Star Bacolod in a telephone interview Sunday.
His fellow ALA stablemate Rey 'Boom Boom' Bautista also triumphed over his Mexican opponent Eden Marquez via a similar knockout win in the second round to likewise keep his WBO Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight crown.
Negros Amateur Boxing Association (Naba) head and Games and Amusement Board (GAB) commissioner Juan Ramon 'Monju' Guanzon, as well as Naba vice-president (South) Oscar 'Dodong' Bascon and treasurer Vic Tan hailed Nietes' victory as "a triumph for Negros boxing" since Nietes is a former Naba standout.
Nietes, together with another ALA protege, Gerry Peñalosa of San Carlos City, the WBO bantamweightr champion, were named as co-athletes of the year last December by the Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines (Scoop) Bacolod Chapter, headed by George Liza.
The awarding happened during the annual Scoop Awards for Outstanding Negros Athletes held at the Casa Linda of Bascon Hotel in ceremonies sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) through Negrense commissioners Eric Loretizo and Ritchie Garcia.
