After more than eight weeks of rigorous training, Donnie `Ahas’ Nietes declared himself ready and fit for his coming defense of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) light-flyweight title against Mexican Felipe Salguero at the Resorts World Manila.
The reigning champion had just wrapped up training camp at the ALA boxing gym in Cebu, and will be coming over in Manila by Saturday exactly two weeks before his June 2 match against the challenger from Toluca, Mexico.
Nietes will also be accompanied by world top ranked flyweight Milan Melindo, and super-bantamweight prospect Genesis `Azukal’ Servania, both of whom are seeing action in the undercard of Pinoy Pride 14: Night of Champions, presented by ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports.
The 12-round title bout marks the first defense of Nietes of the 108-lbs. belt he won last October with a unanimous decision over Ramon Garcia Hirales at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City.
With almost eight month of inactivity, Nietes decided to hold training camp for over two months, assuring of him of being in perfect shape against an opponent ranked as no. 7 contender by both the WBO and International Boxing Federation (IBF).
Nietes, 30, and the pride of Murcia, Negros Occidental, is unbeaten in his last 18 fights, including eight in world title bouts. In all, the former janitor turned world boxing champion has a record of 29-1, with 16 KOs.
But just as impressive is Salguero, owner of a 16-2-1 record, including 11 KOs. The Mexican is also on a remarkable winning streak as he had not lost in his last 16 fights.
Nietes will be the second of four Filipino world champions seeing action in a title bout in the next three months. Brian Viloria jumpstarted the campaign with a successful retention of his WBO flyweight belt following a ninth round technical knockout of Mexican Omar Nino Romero, with boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao following suit on June 9 against Timothy Bradley, and Nonito Donaire on July 7 versus Christian Mijares.
Like Nietes, also returning to the ring is the unbeaten Melindo, who squares off against former world title challenger Jesus Gelez of Colombia for the WBO International flyweight crown.
The 24-year-old Melindo (26-0, 10 KOs) saw action last Jan. 28 and scored a seventh round TKO of Juan Esquer at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel. He hopes to add Geles (13-2-1, 5 KOs) to his list of victims in the hope of finally gaining a crack at a long deserved world title match.
Also in the mix is the undefeated Servania (17-0, 5 KOs), who is scheduled to go up against the controversial Genaro Garcia for the World Boxing Council (WBC) International super-bantamweight crown.
Garcia, 34, will finally be seen up close and personal in the aftermath of a controversial incident last March that saw his namesake sent here by an agent to box Ray `Boom-Boom” Bautista in a separate edition of Pinoy Pride. The Mexican carries a 38-8 record with 22 KOs.
Pinoy Pride 14 will air live in Europe, Middle East and Australia through The Filipino Channel.
