MANILA -- Negros pride Donnie "Ahas" Nietes scored a knockout in the undercard bout in the “Boxing at the Bay: Collision Course” event held Saturday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
Nietes, the reigning World Boxing Organization minimumweight champion, hammered out a 10th round technical knockout win against Mexican challenger Jesus Silvestre in a non-title fight.
The end came in the last 1:37 of the final round when Silvestre spit out his mouthpiece and refused to wear it back even when insisted upon by his corner prompting referee Ver Abainza to stop the fight.
“I was not expecting he (Silvestre) will play like that. He was good. I'm thankful I was able to win the fight,” Nietes told reporters after the fight.
The 27-year-old standout from Murcia, Negros Occidental earlier said he is going to stop Silvestre in the seventh round.
In the other contests, Jimrex Jaca beat Ramadhan Weiru of Indonesia also by KO in the fifth round.
Dodie Boy Penalosa Jr. also had a successful debut and knocked out Anthony Balubar in the second round.
Jason Pagara of Misamis Oriental meanwhile received jeers from compatriots after a controversial majority win against another Indonesian Eddy Comaro in the 10-round bout.
The two judges scored the fight at 96-94 and 98-92 in favor of Pagara while the third judge saw the match 95-95.
The dissatisfied audience sympathized with Comaro via cheers and applauses while thanking the Filipino crowd. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)