NIETES (left)
Two-division world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes is in the final stages of his training for his title-defense against Mexican Raul “Rayito” Garcia in the main event of the Pinoy Pride 36: Legend in the Making slated May 28 at the Saint La Salle Stadium in Bacolod City
Nietes (37-1-4, 21KOs) will be defending his WBO World Light-flyweight title for the seventh time.
ALA Boxing Gym’s trainer Edmund Villamor said they are already 80 percent done with their training.
Villamor assured that Nietes, the longest-reigning Filipino boxing world champion, will be in his best shape against Garcia, who is a former world title challenger.
“He (Nietes) has the power, he has the footwork but there’s something missing. I want him to be as fast as he was when he dominated Gilberto Parra last year. That’s what I wanna see and we are working on that right now. We are almost done with our training camp,” Villamor said.
Nietes scored a ninth-round technical knockout win against Parra last year at the Araneta Coliseum.
Villamor added they have formulated a perfect game plan against Garcia (38-3-1, 23KOs), twin brother of Ramon Garcia Hirales, who lost his WBO World Light-flyweight title to Nietes last 2011 also at the Saint La Salle Stadium.
Villamor said the twin brothers have different styles.
Unlike Ramon, Raul is a slugger who always comes forward and throws more punches.
“We already developed two game plans for Donnie against Raul but we also came up with another game plan if he decides to fight from a distance,” added Villamor.
Villamor said there is no room for complacency as Garcia may change his style.
In his training, Nietes sparred with young boxers Raul Yu, Kenneth Gentallan, Kevin Jake Cataraja and non-ALA Boxing Gym boxers.
Cataraja (3-0, 2KOs) is set to fight Thai Chatchai Or Benjamas (5-7, 4KOs ) in the undercard that also feature Milan “El Metodico” Melindo (33-2, 12KOs) versus Javier “Cobra” Mendoza (24-3-1,19KOs) and “King” Arthur Villanueva (28-1, 14KOs) against Juan “El Peñita” Jimenez (22-9, 15KOs).
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