Donnie Nietes (left) and Kazuto Ioka face each other after successfully tipping the scales for their World Boxing Organisation (WBO) World Super Flyweight title fight on Monday evening in Macau, China. Holding the title is WBO Asia Pacific Supervisor Leon Panoncillo. /CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
It’s judgment day for three-division world champion and the longest reigning Filipino boxing world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes as he faces the younger Kazuto Ioka of Japan for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) World Super Flyweight title in Macau, China on Dec. 31.
In the official weigh-in held on Sunday, December 30, the 36-year-old Nietes of Murcia, Negros Occidental tipped the scales at 115 pounds while Ioka was lighter at 114.5 pounds.
Nietes holds a record of 41-1-5 (win-loss-draw) with 23 knockout wins while the 29-year-old Ioka has 23-1-0 record with 13 wins by knockouts.
Nietes is hoping to cement his legacy as one of the all-time Filipino greats in boxing.
“All we do right now is to wait for fight night, relax, clear his mind and focus on the fight,” said ALA Boxing Gym trainer and matchmaker Edito Villamor.
Nietes’ corner will be composed of his trainer Edmund Villamor, Edito Villamor, and American conditioning trainer Nick Curson.