Donnie Nietes won his third world crown last April.
Philippine boxing took a roller-coaster ride in 2017 with the shocking loss of Filipino boxing icon and senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao last July undoubtedly its bigget heartbreaker.
But ALA Boxing Gym’s three division world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes and Milan “El Metodico” Melindo provided much needed-lift to a country that may have seen the last of its most beloved warrior.
Although Pacquiao’s (59-7-2, 38KOs) spot in the annals of Philippine boxing is already etched in stone, his shocking, albeit controversial unanimous decision loss to unheralded Australian Jeff Horn (18-0-1, 12KOs) proved to be a tough pill to swallow for his millions of fans.
The 39-year old eight-division world champion did not only lose his World Boxing Organization (WBO) world welterweight title in that fight in Brisbane, Australia, the setback also eroded a large chunk of his legend, and even fueled talks of retirement. But recent updates said the future Hall of Famer is willing to fight Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) star Connor McGregor.
Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank Boxing hinted that he might give Pacquiao a fight on April 2018.
Nietes legacy
The 35-year old Nietes (40-1-4, 22KOs) of Murcia, Negros Occidental, joined the likes of Pacquiao and five-division champion Nonito Donaire Jr., as multiple world rulers when he took his third world title last April 29 by beating Thai Komgrich Nantapech (22-5-0, 15KOs) by unanimous decision in Cebu City.
He cemented his legacy not just as the longest reigning Filipino boxing world champion for already a decade but also as the best Filipino flyweight ever.
The former janitor-turned-boxer is scheduled to fight mandatory challenger Juan Carlos Reveco (39-3-0, 19KOs) of Argentina next year.
Melindo fulfills dream
Becoming a world champion was a much bumpier ride for Melindo (37-2-0,13KOs) who has to suffer three heartaches before finally nailing a world title last May when he scored a first round technical knockout (TKO) against the heavily favored Akira Yaegashi last May 21 in Tokyo, Japan for the latter’s IBF strap.
And Melindo proved his skeptics – who believed his win against Yaegashi was just luck– wrong by successfully defending his title against former world champion Hekkie Budler of South Africa by split decision in Cebu City last September.
The 29-year old Cagayan de Oro City native’s ultimate dream though is quite high: unify all the titles in his division. He takes a major step towards fulfilling that dream when fights WBA world light flyweight champion Ryoichi Taguchi (26-2-2,12KOs) tonight in Tokyo, Japan.
Honorable mentions
* Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas (28-1-1,19KOs) continues his meteoric rise when he defended his IBF world super flyweight belt by knocking out Irish Jamie Conlan (19-1-0, 11KOs) in Belfast, Ireland last November 11.
* Aston “Mighty” Palicte (24-2-0, 20KOs) hogged the limelight when snatched the NABF super flyweight title with a TKO against Mexican veteran Jose Alfredo Rodriguez (32-7-0, 19KOs) earlier this month. His win earned him a world title eliminator bout against Chinese boxing super star Rex Tso next year.
* Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo (18-0-0, 13KOs), 22, of ALA Boxing Gym cemented his position as the number two contender in the WBO featherweight division when he defended his WBO international featherweight title against Japanese Shota Hayashi by unanimous decision last November 25 in his hometown in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
* US based Cebuano world title challenger Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (31-1-2, 17KOs) earned another crack at the elusive world crown as he is set to fight WBA world lightweight champion Jorge “El Niño de Oro” Linares (43-3-0, 27KOs) on February 27 in Inglewood, California.
* Omega Boxing Gym’s Jhack “El Capitan” Tepora clinched the vacant WBO intercontinental featherweight title by knocking out South African Lusanda Komanisi in the second round in East London, South Africa.
* Romero Duno (15-1-0, 13KOs) of General Santos City made an impressive debut in the US by knocking out rising Mexican prospect Christian Gonzales (18-1-0, 15KOs) to snatch the vacant WBC youth intercontinental lightweight title in Los Angeles.