LOS ANGELES ? A pair of visiting Manila-based scribes jokingly offered Filipino champion Donnie Nietes a helping hand so he will have an easy time defending his World Boxing Organization light-flyweight title for the eighth time this Saturday night at the StubHub Center.
Juan Alejo, Nietes? Mexican challenger arrived Tuesday and Nietes immediately brushed the two writers? suggestion, declaring that he himself will get the job done.
?Pabayaan nyo na lang ako,? said Nietes on Tuesday as he let loose a one-two combination at the heavy bag, imagining it was his challenger and not an inanimate object.
On the penultimate day of his last training, Nietes was in an upbeat mood alongside the three other stablemates at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.
From the looks of it, Nietes has done everything needed to ensure victory but the 33-year-old Negros-born battler is not taking Alejo lightly.
?Counter-puncher talaga,? said Nietes, mimicking how Alejo throws his punches and his tendency to just stare and wait for an opening.
Oras na sumuntok ka, siguradong bibitaw din sya,? he said.
But Nietes believes he has Alejo all figured out that he is already looking forward to a sidetrip to Florida later in the month to attend the WBO convention.
This weekend?s big show is Nietes? US debut and he intends to make it extra memorable, the one that will stand out even as three other stablemates are also seeing action.
Super-lightweight Jason Pagara faces Santos Benavides of Nicaragua, while super-bantam Prince Albert clashes with William Gonzalez, also of Nicaragua and feather Mark Magsayo Yardley Suarez of Mexico.
The press conference will take place Thursday at the Carson Civic Center, where the official weighin will follow the next day.
