AFTER a year of layoff from the boxing ring World Boxing Organization minimum weight king Donnie “Ahas” Nietes will finally have his first title defense against WBO no.9 rated Eddy Castro of Nicaragua on Aug. 30 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu.
Nietes title fight caps a boxing-filled month for Cebuano fight fans, with two title fights and three boxing promotions in three straight Saturdays at different venues of the city.
Nietes was unlucky in his attempt for a title defense against Daniel “El Olimpico” Reyes in the fight card in Dubai with fellow Filipino champion International Boxing Federation and International Boxing Organization flyweight titleholder Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire which was flushed down the drain because of a problem with the sponsorships in Dubai.
This time it will be unlikely scrapped because ALA Promotions is taking over the promotion of this big fight card, which also features in a co-main event Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista (25-1, 18 KOs).
Bautista will be fighting in Cebu for the first time since his first-round loss to Daniel Ponce de Leon in the first round last month and will be defending his WBO Intercontinental crown against Mexican Eden “Anestescista” Marquez (16-3-3, 12 KOs).
Nietes got the WBO minimum weight belt last Sept. 30 after a unanimous decision win over Thailand’s Pornsawan Kratingdaenggym in Cebu.
Nietes boasts an impressive professional record of 22 wins 1 defeat and 3 draws with 13 knockouts while his Nicaraguan challenger has a respectable record of 12 wins 3 losses and 1 draw with 9 knockouts.
Before the Aug. 30 event, Cebu will also host three other boxing events in the span of five weeks.
Pacquiao
First up in the schedule will be SGG Promotions “Collision at the Colisem” fight card on July 19 which is headed by the WBO Oriental junior featherweight title defense of Ciso “Kid Terrible” Morales against Narongnoi Or Muangklang, Ranee “KO” Kid Ganoy versus Sapapetch Sor Sakaorat and Bert Batawang opposite Benjie Soralla.
Next will be another title bout organized by ALA Promotions, the “Laban na Banal: Panahon Na” fight card which features the skirmish of young boxing phenomenon AJ “Bazooka” Banal against Panamanian brawler Rafael “El Torito” Concepcion on July 26 at the Cebu Coliseum.
The third big boxing event will be the match between Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao’s brother Bobby against Decho Bankluaygym for the WBO Asia Pacific lightweight title on Aug. 2 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino by MP Promotions. (EKA)
