THE world title defense of Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes should be a must-see for every Filipino fight fan. Always, it?s nice to see Nietes remain as the country?s longest reigning world champion at nearly eight years at fight?s end.
This ?Pinoy Pride? bout from ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN will practically draw the entire nation to Bacolod on Saturday, May 28, which is doubly memorable for the City of Smiles as returning Mayor Bing Leonardia is seeing Bacolod?s first global offering under his watch.
If I know him that well, Leonardia, who trounced Nyuks Puentevella by a whopping 22,000-plus votes on May 9, will be at ringside himself. He is a staunch supporter of boxing, as evidenced by his consistent role of being the mustachioed, flag-waving warrior to almost every Pacquiao fight held overseas.
Likewise, I am almost 101 percent sure that Ramon ?Monju? Guanzon, the dapper Games and Amusements Board chairman, is gracing the occasion, not only because he is a proud son of Bacolod but also because he wants to personally see Nietes knock Raul Garcia out.
I was with Monju in Cebu when both Nonito Donaire and Mark ?Magnifico? Magsayo knocked out their opponents. I saw how Monju had thoroughly enjoyed the fights, which he continued to relish through his review of the bouts during our ride together to the Mactan airport the morning after in the company of Dr. Nasser Cruz.
Nietes has a handsomely credentialed challenger in Garcia, who is 38-3-1, with 23 knockouts. Turning 34 on Sept. 10, Garcia, from La Paz, Baja, California, is a former world IBF minimum weight champion who is on a 6-fight winning streak going to Saturday?s clash.
He is a southpaw and the twin brother of Ramon Garcia, the former WBO world light flyweight champion. On May 30, 2011, Raul and Ramon made history by becoming the first set of twins to win world crowns on the same card.
But against Nietes, Garcia is up against the toughest foe of his career.
Flashing a 37-1-4 record with 21 knockouts, Nietes has been undefeated for so long that he has been the envy of his peers. He turned 34 on May 13.
For sure, Garcia will find it hard to unlock Nietes? vise-like grip of the WBO world light flyweight title. He?ll be lucky to finish the fight standing.
