“King” Arthur Villanueva of the ALA Gym and his opponent from Mexico Juan Jimenez face the media at Robinsons Place Bacolod. (CDNPHOTO/LITO M. TECSON)
Bacolod City— After months of preparation and grueling training, reigning WBO World light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes and challenger Raul “Rayito” Garcia of Mexico are ready to rumble.
This as both boxers made their weight during the official weigh-in on Friday at the Robinsons Place Bacolod.
Nietes and Garcia are fighting for a world title in the main event of “Pinoy Pride 36: A Legend in the Making” Saturday night at the Saint La Salle University Stadium.
Both Nietes (37-1-4, 21KOs) and Garcia (36-3-1, 22KOs) tipped the scales exactly at 108 pounds, the weight limit for the light flyweight division.
Nietes is looking to extend his reign as the longest reigning Filipino boxing world champion while Garcia is eyeing to avenge the loss of his twin brother Ramon Garcia Hirales to Nietes in 2011.
Nietes, a native of Murcia town, Negros Occidental, will be fighting in front of his home town folks.
I will showcase my best because my fellow Ilonggos deserve nothing but the best,” Nietes said. “I am very confident that I can knock him out.”
The 33-year-old two-division world champion and Ring Magazine lineal world champion said this could be one of his last fights in the 108-pound division as he is planning to pursue to be a three-division world champion by climbing to the 112-pound group.
“I’m 33 years old, I have a few years remaining in my career so I’ll grab all the chances out there and make history,” Nietes said.
One of his plans before he climbs to the regular flyweight division is a third fight against archrival Moises Fuentes of Mexico, who he defeated in 2014 in Manila by technical knockout. Fuentes is the mandatory challenger for Nietes’ current title.
Nietes is also planning to fight WBO and WBA flyweight king Juan Francisco Estrada.
Boxers fighting in the co-main event, former world title contender “King” Arthur Villanueva (28-1, 14KOs) and Juan Jimenez (22-9, 15KOs) of Mexico, also made weight for their WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight showdown.
Villanueva weighed in at 117.5 pounds while Jimenez tipped the scales at 118 pounds.
Meanwhile, two-time world title contender Milan Melindo (33-2, 12KOs) was 4 and 3/4 pounds over the 110-pound weight limit for his scheduled 10-rounder non-title bout against Maximino Flores (19-2, 13KOs) of Mexico. Flores had no problems making weight.
Melindo was made to shed off the excess weight.
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