Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes is a two-division world champion who has not tasted defeat in his last 22 outings. But for all his accomplishments in the ring, the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior flyweight champion continues to rake in as much attention as a cockroach gasping for life along a filthy sidewalk.
The lukewarm reception is not unfounded. Stretches of inactivity and poor selection of foes have derailed Nietes? progress in the ring. Nietes enjoyed a three-year (2007 to 2010) reign as WBO minimum weight (105 pounds) champion, but a closer look will show that he fought only once in 2008 and twice in 2009 and 2010. Officially, Nietes made only four successful title defenses and at least two challengers (Nicaraguan Eddy Castro and Mexican Mario Rodriguez) offered the killer instinct of Mahatma Gandhi.
Desperate for recognition, Nietes moved to a heavier weight class in 2011 and captured the WBO junior flyweight (108 pounds) title with a unanimous decision victory over Mexican Ramon Garcia Hirales in Bacolod City. While he joined the scant list of Filipino boxers who have won at least two division titles, Nietes? victory did not translate into fame and fortune. Not a few in fact thought he was extremely lucky to dodge defeat against Hirales. Nietes ran out of steam in the second half of the fight and barely lasted the full route.
Nietes, 31-1, with 3 draws and 17 knockouts, has since done very little to change the collective perception about his fistic worth. He made only one title defense last year, posting a ho-hum decision win over untested Mexican Felipe Salguero. Five months later, Nietes figured in an embarrassing non-title affair against Thailand?s Danai Meendaeng. Facing a newbie who showed up with a win-loss record of 0-1, Nietes predictably dominated with a fifth round knockout.
At age 30, the clock is ticking for Nietes. Make no mistake, the WBO champ can fight but the prevailing opinion is that unless he decides to roll the dice, he will never make any headway.
Nietes hopes to give his career that long overdue publicity push on Saturday, when he defends his WBO junior flyweight title for the second time against highly regarded Mexican challenger Moises Fuentes at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City.
In Fuentes, Nietes is facing his most formidable opponent since Hirales. The 27-year-old Fuentes, the incumbent WBO minimumweight champ, is moving up in weight in a bid to snare a second division crown. The lanky Fuentes, 16-1 with 8 knockouts, captured the WBO minimum weight crown in August 2011 with a hard-earned decision over Raul Garcia (the twin brother of Ramon Garcia Hirales). In a free-swinging brawl, Fuentes floored Garcia in the seventh round before kissing the canvas himself in the ninth round. Fuentes stood his ground though and won by split decision.
Before invading the junior flyweight class, Fuentes made two successful defenses of the WBO minimumweight title. In his last outing, October 6, 2012, Fuentes retired Puerto Rican legend Ivan Calderon with a devastating fifth round knockout.
Fuentes is a tireless workhorse in the ring. While he does not move his head particularly well, the Mexican is never shy to mix it up inside.
Fuentes loves to throw short but effective hooks and is a debilitating body puncher. Nietes, whose stamina has been suspect since the Hirales bout, will have to be in excellent condition as he is facing a pressure fighter in Fuentes.
The Fuentes fight figures to reveal the stuff Nietes is made of. If ever there is a more opportune time for ?Ahas? to flaunt his venom, it?s the upcoming fight with Fuentes which will mark his maiden appearance in the year of the snake. – See more at: http://manilatimes.net/index.php/sports/sports-columnist/42461-time-for-ahas-nietes-to-flaunt-venom#sthash.fxeBSlRs.dpuf
