Nietes eyes WBO world super flyweight title after Dubai win

Donnie Nietes with his team. Photo from D4G Promotions

CEBU CITY, Philippines — After his sensational comeback, the newly crowned World Boxing Organization (WBO) international super flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes is not just eyeing to land a major fight against the big names in the 115  lbs division.

The 38-year old Nietes erased everyone’s doubt about ring rust and aging after displaying his signature speed and accurate punches to defeat the younger Colombian foe, Pablo Carillo, last Sunday, April 4, 2021, in Dubai, UAE, via unanimous decision. 

Read: Nietes dominates Colombian foe, wrests WBO Int’l Super Flyweight belt

After his masterful performance, Nietes is inevitably going to break into the world rankings anew. With that in mind, the former ALA Boxing Gym stalwart wants to reclaim the WBO world super flyweight title he won two years and three months ago. 

Nietes vacated the world title he won over Kazuto Ioka (26-2-,15 KOs) of Japan on December 31, 2018, in Macao, China, after the WBO ordered him to make a mandatory defense in a rematch against fellow Filipino Aston Palicte (27-4-1, 23 KOs). Nietes saw the rematch against Palicte pointless after crying foul over the split draw decision in their first encounter in September 2018 in Inglewood, California.

Read: Nietes: No point for rematch with Palicte

“Naa koy plano kay mao na ang atong tumong na makaduwa og balik ug mofight og world title,” Nietes told CDN Digital. 

His plan of retaking the WBO world super flyweight title will likely lead him back to Ioka, whom he beat via split decision. Ioka clinched the world title by beating Palicte in 2019 in Japan. 

Ioka has held the world title two years already and has successfully defended it twice over Puerto Rican Jeyvier Cintron and compatriot Kosei Tanaka. 

Excellent conditioning

Nietes has been training since October last year in Mandaue City, Cebu, under his trainer Edmund Villamor’s close supervision and the help of former ALA Boxing Gym chief trainer and matchmaker Edito Villamor at the Villamor Brothers Boxing Gym owned by them. 

Nietes himself was very happy with his performance and conditioning. Despite not having a scheduled fight, he managed to train and condition himself daily. He sparred with his former ALA Boxing Gym stablemates in Jeo Santisima and Kevin Jake Cataraja to prepare for his fight against Carillo. 

“Lipay kaayo nga maayo akong performance gipakita ug nindot kaayo akong condition para ani nga fight,” added Nietes. 

(I am happy with the performance I have shown and my conditioning in the fight was great.)

Read: Villamor on Donnie “Ahas” Nietes: Fast and fearsome as ever

Edmund Villamor, who was on Nietes’ corner in the Dubai fight, said that his ward’s speed and timing were still there. 

“Wala gihapon nawala ang speed niya ug ang timing kay grabe man gud siya motraining. Nakuha ni niya tanan gikan gyud sa training,” said Villamor. 

(His speed and timing are still there because of his hard training. He got these all in his training.)

“Nipakita sad si Carillo kung unsa sad siya pag first round. Naglisud gani si Donnie pag round 1,” he said.

(Carillo also showed that he was a formidable foe in the first round. Donnie had some difficulties against him in the first round.)

Villamor also pointed out the unfair and questionable Italian judge Giulio Piras score, 96-95. The two Hungarian judges officiating Nietes and Carillo’s bout, Zoltan Enyedi and Ferenc Budai, have it by a wide margin, 98-91 and 99-91, all in favor of Nietes. 

“Ambot lang unsa iyang gi tan-aw nga dula,” Villamor said. 

(I don’t know whose fight he was watching.)

Hunting for big names

Nietes, in earlier interviews, admitted that retirement was already on the horizon for him. He revealed that he only had two years left before he would call it a career. 

His only wish is to fight either of the best three super flyweights in WBO world super flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada, and former world champions Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzales and Srisaket Rungvisai. 

Read: Nietes wants tough “Chocolatito” Gonzales in final fight

“Dugay na gyud na nga iyang gi ambisyon makadula ug mga big names,” added Villamor.

(It has been his long ambition to fight against some big names.)

When asked who he wants to face next, Nietes answered “Chocolatito, Estrada, Rungvisai”.

/dbs