Tough foe

Donnie “Ahas” Nietes (left) connects on a left hook against Thailand’s Komgrich Nantapech in the main event of Pinoy Pride 40: Domination last Saturday night at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. Nietes won the fight via unanimous decision to snatch the vacant IBF World flyweight belt.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON

Nietes now a three-division champ after escaping gritty Thai boxer Nantapech

Things didn’t turn out the way newly crowned three-division world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes planned it to be.

While he predicted a swift victory against Komgrich “Eaktawan” Nantapech in the main bout of the Pinoy Pride 40 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, the 34-year-old Nietes ended up going through a slugfest with his Thai foe before emerging victorious via unanimous decision late Saturday night.

Although he successfully became a three-division world champion by clinching the vacant IBF World flyweight title, Nietes admitted it wasn’t an easy victory.

“I was really aiming for an early knockout win,” Nietes, whose record improved to 40-1-4 (win-loss-draw), said.

“But in the middle of the fight starting in the fifth round onwards, it seemed that he just absorbed all of my power punches and combinations. He’s just very tough.”

The 34-year-old Nietes from Murcia town in Bacolod started the bout impressively, connecting perfectly timed punches while the Thai was still figuring out how to counter.

When Nantapech figured this out, he was suddenly unfazed with Nietes’ power punches and started to come forward.

That’s when Nietes knew he had to back out of his earlier plan.

“I decided to change my game plan. I decided to pile up points and survive the rest of the rounds because he kept on coming forward,” Nietes said.

Nantapech (22-4-0,15KOs) put up a really good fight that Nietes failed to even score a knockdown in the entire 12-round bout.

“But I was still very confident that I was going to win. But I give credit to Nantapech for a very challenging fight.”

Nietes now joins Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire Jr. as Filipino boxers who won at least three world titles in three different weight classes.

Two judges, Filipino Greg Ortega and Japanese Katsuhiko Nakamura, both scored it 117-111 for Nietes while Thai judge Somsak Sirianant had it at 115-113 still in favor of Nietes.

“What we saw at that fight was a vintage Nietes. He showcased another superb performance in a very tough fight. I give credit to Nantapech for giving one hell of a fight,” said promoter, Michael Aldeguer of ALA Promotions International.

Nietes plans to unify the titles before moving to a higher weight class.

“I want to unify the titles in this division before I decide to move up to 115 pounds. But for now, I will enjoy every moment of this victory because I never imagined being a three-division world champion,” Nietes said.

Big fight for Magsayo

Meanwhile, Aldeguer revealed that Boholano Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo will spearhead a fight card in July that will be held in Hoops Dome Lapu-Lapu City following his easy first round technical knockout victory against Tanzanian Issa Nampepeche (24-8-4, 11 KOs) in the co-main event.

The undefeated Magsayo (16-0-0, 12 KOs) scored the first knockdown as he connected a right hook followed by another left hook that decked Nampepech.

The Tanzanian visitor stood back up only to get hit with three straight left hooks that forced the referee to stop the fight at the 2:05 mark of the first round.

“Like what I’ve stated before, Magsayo is very young and most guys at his age doesn’t need to fight big names necessarily because they are still developing. But as what I’ve seen in his performance, I think he is ready to headline a fight card for July in Hoops Dome in Lapu-lapu City,” said Aldeguer.

Jeo “Santino” Santisima (13-2-0,11KOs) scored a lopsided unanimous decision victory against Master Suro (11-9-1,2KOs) of Indonesia after 10-rounds in their super bantamweight contest.