DONNIE ?Ahas? Nietes outclassed his Mexican challenger, while Brian Viloria fell short of his bid to dethrone the Nicaraguan pound-for-pound king, as the Filipino boxers drew mixed results on Sunday in the United States.
Nietes, the country?s remaining world champion, as expected, dominated his match against Juan ?Pinky? Alejo and won via a unanimous decision to retain his World Boxing Organization/The Ring Magazine junior flyweight belt for an impressive eighth straight title defense in ALA Promotions? Pinoy Pride 33 in StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Fighting for the first time in American soil, Nietes (37-1-4, 21 knockouts) proved to be too much for the Mexican Alejo (21-4, 13 KOs), as the three judges scored 120-108, 119-109 and 119-109, all in favor for the 33-year-old fighter.
Nietes punished Alejo with a flurry of jabs that stalled the attacks of the Mexican and won convincingly.
In the sixth round, Alejo opened a cut over Nietes?s left eye that only fueled back the rhythm of the Murcia, Negros Occidental, native to a near knockdown in Round 7 with a left hook that wobbled the legs of Alejo.
Meanwhile, in an earlier duel, reigning World Boxing Council?s (WBC) flyweight champion Roman Gonzales put an end to Viloria?s title shot after scoring a knockout at the 2:53 mark of the ninth round to hand the first technical loss for the ?Hawaiian Punch? in Madison Square Garden, New York.
Viloria (36-5, 22 KOs) kissed the canvass for his first career knockdown in the third round after Gonzales (44-0, 38 KOs) landed a short right hand to his face.
The Hawaiian Punch fiercely fought back in the fourth frame, but as he slowed down on the succeeding rounds, the defending champion gained control and unleashed an onslaught leading into a stoppage by referee Benjy Esteves in Round 9.
In the undercard matches of Pinoy Pride 33, Filipino sluggers, bannered by brothers Albert and Jason Pagara and Mark Magsayo, thrashed their opponents with big victories to wow the American crowd in California.
Magsayo (12-0, 10 KOs) knocked out a previously unbeaten Yardley Suarez (13-1, 8 KOs) of Mexico twice in the first round to force a stoppage.
Jason Pagara (37-2, 23 KOs) had an easy win against Santos Benavides (25-8-2, 19 KOs) of Nicaragua, while his brother Albert (25-0, 18 KOs) remained undefeated as he floored William Gonzales (27-6, 23 KOs) in the sixth round.
