OUR longest reigning world title-holder didn?t exactly have a fortuitous 2013. Last March, Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes (32-1, 18KOs) went the distance and was tested to the hilt by tough Mexican challenger Moises Fuentes in a fight that ended up in a draw.
It was not an easy verdict mind you, as there were those who opine that Fuentes arguably deserved the nod but Donnie showed true championship mettle in battling through attrition.
Fuentes stormed ahead early in the cards with his aggression, but Nietes roared back and hurt him in the middle rounds. The bruising battle continued with Fuentes the busier fighter and Nietes the more accurate and stronger puncher.
Nietes was cut in the sixth round and this gave him problems for the remainder of the fight. But he landed big bombs in the championship rounds to the delight of the local crowd.
Since that fight, the young Fuentes fought and won three more times, padding his record to 19-1, (10 KOs).
Nietes, on the other hand, handily repulsed the challenge of veteran Mexican warrior Sammy Guttierez via 3rd round TKO to end the year on a positive note.
The WBO has already mandated a rematch between these two excellent fighters and this is one of the most awaited bouts for this brand new year.
Fellow ALA stablemate Merlito Sabillo (23-0, 12KOs) started the year with a bang when he won stopped Luis de la Rosa in eight rounds in Colombia to become the interim WBO minimum-weight champ.
He then followed it up nicely by defeating Jorle Estrada in 9 rounds at the Solaire Hotel Manila to solidify his grip on the diadem formerly held by Nietes.
In his last fight for 2013 however, Sabillo could only manage a draw against the wily Carlos Buitrago of Nicaragua.
Buitrago (27-0, 16KOs) was a prolific counter-puncher who was able to time perfectly Sabillo?s offensive forays.
Sabillo?s aggression definitely won him points on the scorecards, but Buitrago stayed with him all throughout, landing stinging counters and nullifying the ALA fighter?s deadly left straight. In the end, the judges saw it as a draw and a rematch should definitely be in order this year.
IBF light flyweight champion John Reil Casimero (19-2, 11KOs) went 2 for 2 last year.
First, he went all the way to Panama to dominate local favorite Luis Alberto Rios via unanimous decision.
It was not an exciting fight, probably due to the style match up of both fighters.
Casimero utilized his jab well while Rios was reduced to landing sporadically and clinching. But there was no doubt on who deserved the verdict.
Casimero more than made up for that lackluster affair by banging the lights out of challenger Felipe Salguero (19-5, 14KOs) in an exciting slugfest last October.
?Quadro Alas? landed big shots early in the fight, but Salguero answered with a brutal body attack.
Casimero appeared to have been affected by the body work and seemed to slow down in the middle rounds, but he found his second wind and knocked down the game challenger in the 8th, 9th and stopped him in the 11th round.
I predict our three world champions to hold on to their belts this year, but I think Casimero will breakout and become a star if given the chance for a unification bout with the other belt holders in the talent deep light flyweight division.
(this Sunday, the contenders)
VERBATIM. ?I don?t think (Weidman should consider it a win). It was an accident. And I?m pretty sure I would have won the fight.?–Anderson Silva on his 2nd loss to Chris Weidman at UFC 168.
LAST ROUNDS. Are on my Yakal buddy, Engr. Jon Kasilag and Elijah Bolongan Tero who celebrate their birthdays this week. Cheers!
