History is poised to be rewritten this Nov. 15 at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel when reigning WBO light flyweight king Donnie Nietes defends his crown against Mexican challenger Carlos Velarde.
At stake is a record held by a sports icon who is deified by all Filipino boxers?Gabriel Elorde?s reign as the longest Filipino world champion.
If Donnie is successful in thwarting Velarde?s challenge, he will have to wait though till January 2015 to make it official, but since he is not expected nor required to fight again till then, a victory on November 15 will clinch it.
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?Flash?Elorde reigned as WBC junior lightweight king for a period of 7 years, 2 months and 29 days in 10 defenses.
?Ahas?Nietes has won two titles in two weight divisions. I was at ringside when he annexed his first world title by defeating Thai pug PornsawanKratingdaenggymvia unanimous decision also at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel.
I recall the jubilation ringside at theALA camp when the decision was announced as it also officially became the gym?s first world title.
Donnie would move up in weight and win the WBO light flyweight crown in Oct. 8, 2011 against Ramon Garcia Hirales and has defended it successfully 4 times since then.
JANITOR. Of course, Donnie?s unprecedented rise to boxing superstardom would just be run of the mill, and would hardly stand out from other similar pugilistic success stories were it not for a backstory.
And those of you who are hardcore boxing fans know that Donnie worked at the ALA gym as a janitor, among other things. He would take care of the pet snakes of Antonio Lopez Aldeguer, Cebu?s premiere boxing doyen.
But Donnie was actually no boxing neophyte as he had the sport?s pedigree coursing through his veins (his uncle Dan Nietes was a former world title challenger). Encouraged by the boxers, he inevitably took up the sport and as the clich? goes, the rest is history.
Mind you, I am partial to Flash Elorde. My father hails from Medellin, the town next to Elorde?s Bogo and in Northern Cebu we take our boxing seriously. But records were meant to fall, and in this case –if Donnie succeeds, it couldn?t have happened to a more worthy fighter.
Sure, Donnie?s ride may have been bumpy at times and there were fights where he looked overwhelmed, but he has always been consistently tough.
Unlike the other boxing icons who are more popularly known, you hardly hear about Donnie?s personal demons. That?s because he hardly has any.
He?s not known to bloat up in weight in between fights. He doesn?t have vices. He limits his extra-curricular activities.
Talk to him and you will be disarmed by his humility. Goad him into making brash predictions and he will instead flash you that wistful, humble smile. He doesn?t have the gift of gab, but he always lets his fists do the talking.
In his last bout, he practically confirmed his greatness by making short work of the fighter who gave him so much trouble the first time they fought.
My eyes bulged in amazement when Donnie easily out-boxed and outdueled Moises Fuentes in nine action packed rounds in May of this year.
The ease by which he achieved the ninth-round TKO was the stuff of legend and the first thing I blurted out at the hastily assembled post fight press conference at ringside was ?Donnie, you?ve been holding out on us..?
Good luck on Nov. 15 Donnie. I won?t be surprised if GabrielElorde himself will be working your corner on that night.
VERBATIM- ?Like every fan out there, I?m waiting patiently. But my patience is starting to run out and now I?m smiling over Cotto-Canelo, which I know can fill that void.?—Oscar de la Hoya on the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout (www.usatoday.com)
LAST ROUNDS. Are on two hardcore boxing fans my kumpare Eddy Basa and Samuel Valderrama whose name should have appeared in my last column. Happy Birthday guys. I know you got more rounds to go. Cheers!
