Filipino Aston Palicte expressed his gratitude to compatriot Donnie Nietes for vacating the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super flyweight title, a development that gave him a better opportunity to become a world champion.
?They (Nietes Camp) vacated the belt. We?re going to do whatever it takes to become a world champion. So I?m very thankful to them,? Palicte (25-2-1 win-loss-draw record with 21 knockouts) told The Manila Times in Filipino.
Palicte, 28, said they were expecting a rematch with the 36-year-old Nietes (42-1-5 record with 23 knockouts) after their fight ended in a controversial split draw on September 8 last year in Inglewood, California.
?As what I have said, I will fight anyone for the world title. I?m thankful for the trust of the WBO and Nietes. At same time, two Filipinos don?t have to compete for the world title anymore,? Said Palicte of Bago City, Negros Occidental.
Among Palicte?s possible foes for the vacant WBO super flyweight belt are No. 4 Kazuto Ioka of Japan or No. 7 Jeyvier Cintron of Puerto Rico.
Palicte became the No. 1 WBO super flyweight contender after beating Jose Martinez of Puerto Rico via second round technical knockout on January 31, in a world title-eliminator match at the Viejas Casino and Resort in Alpine, California.
Prior to his decision to vacate the title, Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino world champion scored a split decision win over Ioka December 31 last year in Macau for the WBO super flyweight title.
