Philippines, 25 May 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


PINOY PRIDE XXIII: FILIPINOS KONTRA LATINOS PRESSCON HIGHLIGHTS


PhilBoxing.com



Sabillo (L) and Buitrago.
QUEZON CITY ? WBO world light flyweight champion Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes (31-1-4, 17KO?s) is not taking Mexican challenger Sammy Gutierrez (33-9-2, 23 KO's) for granted but he thinks that their fight on Saturday is a ?title fight and a tune-up fight.?

?I trained hard and I will go for a knockout,? Nietes emphatically stated.

Gutierrez remained calm but promised to bring the belt back to his country. He also promised a ring war and cited the ongoing boxing rivalry between Mexico and the Philippines.

Gutierrez is coming off a loss due to a cut in his last bout to Raul Garcia. Gutierrez has also lost to other name boxers like Nkosinathi Joyi and Omar Ni?o Romero.He is a former WBC Silver champion and former WBA interim world minimumweight champion.

Nietes, who is also a former WBO minimumweight champion, is set to face Moises Fuentes in a rematch next year. They previously fought to a majority draw in Cebu.

SOMEBODY?S ?0? MUST GO

The co-main event will feature two undefeated fighters, WBO world minimumweight champion Merlito ?Tigre? Sabillo (23-0, 12 KO's) will take on Carlos Buitrago (27-0, 16 KO's) of Nicaragua.

Sabillo said that the knockout will happen anytime once the opportunity presents itself.

Buitrago stated that he trained hard for two months for this shot at the world title. He is the interim champion but he wants to be the regular champion. He cites his Mexican opponents as his toughest foes.

This bout will be aired live to Nicaragua.

Both Nietes and Sabillo are inspired by the recent success of Nonito Donaire and Manny Pacquiao, who both suffered disappointing losses but came back to score resounding wins.

GAB Chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon takes pride in the fact that Bacolodnons Nietes and Sabillo both came from the amateur boxing grassroots program of the Negros Amateur Boxing Association. The two world title contests will be supervised by WBO Asia-Pacific VP Leon Panoncillo.

ALA Promotions Pres and CEO Michael Aldeguer said that he initially had doubts about pushing through with this card after the back to back natural disasters that hit the country. But he knew that this was a great opportunity to show the world that the country is capable of staging a huge fight card and also to show that the Filipinos can rise from adversity after experiencing natural calamities.

ABS-CBN?s Golden voice Peter Musngi announced that proceeds of PINOY PRIDE XXIII: FILIPINOS KONTRA LATINOS will be given to ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya for the relief operations for the typhoon-stricken Eastern Visayas region.

ALA Gym Trainer Edito Villamor guaranteed a sweep for Team Philippines.

Milan ?El Metodico? Melindo (29-1, 12 KO?s) will face Jose Alfredo ?Torito? Rodriguez (29-2, 18 KO?s) of Mexico. Melindo emphasized the importance of this bout after suffering his first loss at the hands of WBO/WBA flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada in Macau last July.

?This is a chance for me to fight for another world title,? Melindo said, ?I want to go up the ratings so I can fight for a world title as soon as possible.?

Jason ?El Ni?o? Pagara (31-2, 19 KO?s) is set to square off against Vladimir Baez (19-1-2, 17 Ko?s) of the Dominican Republic.

Both Pagara and Melindo are WBO International titlist in their divisions.

AJ ?Bazooka? Banal (29-2-2, 21 KO?s) will be up against Puerto Rican Lucian Gonzales (16-7-2, 5KO?s) in a non-title contest. Jimrex "Executioner" Jaca (38-6-3, 21KO's) will fight Indonesian Wellem Reyk (17-7-3, 5 KO's) in a six rounder.

The official weigh-in will be on Friday noon at Robinson?s Galleria. Fight day for PINOY PRIDE 23 is November 30 at 6PM at the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum.


Nietes (L) and Gutierrez.


Melindo (L) and Rodriguez.


Pagara (L) and Baez.


Banal (L) and Gonzalez.


Pinoy Pride 23 casts with officials.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Floyd Mayweather Jr files $175 million lawsuit against former associates and advisors
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 24 May 2026
  • Christian Mbilli will defend his WBC super middleweight world title against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on September 12 in Saudi Arabia!
    , Sun, 24 May 2026
  • Toro Promotions’ Trio victorious in Mexico
    , Sun, 24 May 2026
  • Team USA Continues Dominant Run with 7-0 Performance on Day Six In Colombia
    , Sun, 24 May 2026
  • The Punisher Ultramarathon in Samal on May 30-31
    , Sun, 24 May 2026
  • Paciones fights Laspoña tomorrow at Elorde gym
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • STATEMENT MADE! AMARI “THE REAPER” JONES DEFEATS VINCENZO “IL CAPO” GUALTIERI IN IBF MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE ELIMINATOR
    , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • Castillano stops Rosales in 1st round
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • ProBoxTV Goes Global This Saturday with Two Action-Packed International Events Broadcast Live on One Sensational Saturday
    , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • Oleksandr Usyk Returns Against Unknown Boxer on RING/DAZN PPV
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • Ayala Lardizabal stops Mama as IBA PRO 18 delivers dramatic night in Mexico City
    , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • MF PRO Launches U.S. Boxing Debut with “Pugilist Revolution” Featuring "H2O" Sylve vs. Joseph “JoJo” Diaz in Southern California Showdown
    , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • Dela Cerna fights Lastimosa on June 21 in Muntilupa
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • USA Boxing Elite High Performance Squad Posts Another Seven-Win Day in Colombia
    , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • 2026 NBA Playoffs: Knicks Beat Cavaliers 109-93 Behind Hart’s Postseason Career-High 26 in East Finals
    By Reylan Loberternos, , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • Rep. Barzaga invited in Bakbakan sa Putatan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • Weights Set from San Jose: Amari Jones and Vincenzo Gualtieri Cleared for IBF Middleweight Eliminator
    , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • 2026 NBA Playoffs: Gilgeous-Alexander Back to MVP Form as Thunder Top Spurs 122-113 in West Game 2
    By Reylan Loberternos, , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • IBA flag raised at the peak of Mount Everest following historic ascent
    , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • Jacamos fights for vacant WBC Youth World junior fly in South Africa on May 23
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • Lastimosa to fight for vacant PBF Youth light fly crown
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • USA Boxing Elite High Performance Squad Adds Seven Wins on Day Four at 2026 Copa America
    , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • Bohat fights for PBF Silver bantamweight crown
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 21 May 2026
  • AGM Bernardino to hold chess simul in San Manuel, Tarlac
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 21 May 2026
  • JONES VS. GUALTIERI FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE
    , Thu, 21 May 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.