It is going to be an intriguing fight when Filipino boxer Donnie “Ahas” Nietes challenges WBO world junior bantamweight champion Kazuto Ioka in Japan on Wednesday.
It is going to be a reboot of their initial clash back in 2018 when Nietes defeated Ioka via split decision and took the WBO crown which he later relinquished.
“On paper I will favor Donnie Nietes because of his technicality. He is one of the most technical fighters in his experience at the world stage. He’s bar none,” said fight analyst Nissi Icasiano.
But he cited that a lot has changed since 2018.
For one, the 4-division former champion Nietes is already 40 years old, which means that he is already at the tail end of a colorful boxing career.
Boxing: Probellum boss confident of Nietes’ chances vs. Ioka “Donnie Nietes is at the juncture of his career na you’ll never know which version of himself will show up because of his age,” said Icasiano.
“In combat sports, father time is undefeated. You’ll never know when father time will catch up with him.”
Another factor that might work against Nietes is familiarity, said the analyst.
“I always describe a rematch… as a double-edged sword. There is familiarity tied into it. When you know your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, sometimes it could favor you or it could work against you,” he said.
Icasiano said to wrest the title from Ioka, Nietes will have to stop the Japanese champion in hostile territory.
Boxing: Nietes challenges Ioka for WBO crown in Japan The fight will take place at Ota City Gymnasium in Japan.
“Hanggat maaari kung maiiwasan natin ‘yung hometown decision, mas maganda, that’s the only way to walk away with a decisive victory,” he said.
“The only thing that Donnie Nietes needs to do to walk away with a convincing victory is to really win it per round in convincing fashion.”
