Donnie Nietes (left) and Muhammad Waseem (right). | Boxrec photos
CEBU CITY, Philippines —Former four-division world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes’ attempt to become a world champion again encountered a huge setback a few days before the bout which was supposedly going to happen in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Nietes eyes to become a five-division world champion by fighting Pakistani Muhammad Waseem for the International Boxing Organization (IBO) world bantamweight title on July 22, 2023 (July 23, Manila Time).
However, the scheduled fight won’t happen anytime soon after Waseem allegedly had problems with his visa, according to multiple reports online.
Disrupt Promotions, the official boxing outfit that promotes the Nietes and Waseem’s world title showdown, confirmed the cancellation of the Dubai fight through a Facebook post on Friday, July 21.
But Disrupt Boxing didn’t reveal the reason of the bout’s sudden cancellation. The promoter has not also given word as to the fight’s new date.
In an earlier interview, Nietes said that he wants to etch another historic feat in his storied boxing career.
Aside from being one of the three Filipino boxers who won world titles in multiple classes and the longest-reigning Filipino boxing world champion, Nietes wants to assert himself as the oldest bantamweight world champion at 41.
But this won’t happen anytime soon.
Nietes trained for months in Cebu for his bout against Waseem. Earlier, he expressed confidence that he can easily win against his foreign opponent.
On paper, Nietes eclipses Waseem’s record with 43 wins, 23 knockouts, two defeats, and six draws. Waseem has a 12-2 (win-loss) record with eight knockouts.
Aside from eyeing the world title and making history, Nietes was aiming to bounce back from his 2022 loss to Kazuto Ioka in their rematch for the WBO world super flyweight title in Japan.
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