DONNIE “Ahas” Nietes, the longest-reigning Filipino world champion, will not be fighting under the same card featuring fellow world champion Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire on April 23 at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila.
Instead, Nietes may be fighting in front of the Cebuanos as the ALA Promotions International is planning to stage its prized ward’s next fight at the Cebu City Sports Center.
“It will be too big to put them both together in one card as both are world champions now,” said Michael Aldeguer, CEO of ALA Promotions.
Aldeguer said they are looking at unbeaten IBF Youth featherweight champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo to be featured in the undercard of Donaire’s title defense against Mexican-Russian Evgeny Gradovich.
For this to happen, Magsayo has to win against Mexican Eduardo Montoya in the Pinoy Pride 35: Stars of the Future slated Feb. 27 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Donaire and Nietes fought under the same card in March 2015 where Donaire won the NABF super-bantamweight title against the unheralded Brazilian boxer William Prado while Nietes successfully defended his WBO light-flyweight title against Mexican Gilberto Parra.
Should the plan materialize, it will be the third time that CCSC will be hosting a boxing event since its construction in 1994 for the Palarong Pambansa.
CCSC first hosted a boxing extravaganza in 1995.
In 2007, one of Cebu’s most famed boxers Z Gorres fought and lost in front of a sell-out crowd at the CCSC against Mexican Fernando Montiel.
Nietes is on a tear of late as he successfully defended his title three times last year. He ended 2015 with his first fight in the US where he defeated voluntary challenger Juan Alejo via unanimous decision at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, USA.
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