Donnie Nietes trains in front of a mirror at the Paseo Arsenas’ ALA Boxing Fitness Gym.
(CDN/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
Two-division world champion and current WBO light flyweight king Donnie “Ahas” Nietes capped off his three-month training with high hopes of winning his match against WBO world minimumweight champion Francisco “Chihuas” Rodriguez Jr. this Saturday in the main event of Pinoy Pride 31: Clash of World Champions at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
After completing his 150 rounds of sparring at the Paseo Arsenas’ ALA Boxing Fitness Gym last Saturday, Nietes said he believes he is ready for the fight.
“I’m satisfied with my training because it was longer. We started last April,” said Nietes, who sports a 35-1-4 (win-loss-draw) record with 21 knockout wins, who is also the longest-reigning Filipino boxing world champion.
He said the long training focused on improving his power and speed. Helping prepare Nietes was American MMA and boxing strength and conditioning trainer Nick Curson.
Trainer Edito Villamor said Nietes is 100 percent ready and just needs to watch his weight entering the final days before fight night.
Villamor, however, reminded his prized ward to take Rodriguez Jr. (17-2-1, 11KOs) seriously.
“We shouldn’t be too confident because he is a world champion and arrived in the country early to get used to the atmosphere,” Villamor said.
Rodriguez Jr. has been training at the Elorde Boxing Gym in Manila for the past three weeks now.