| |
|
Nietes eyes 4th division belt vs Ioka on New Year's eve
By Eddie Alinea PhilBoxing.com Thu, 29 Nov 2018

Filipino three weight division champions Donnie Nietes and Japanese Kazuto Ioka will dispute the vacant WBO world junior bantamweight title on New Year?s eve at the Wynn Place resort in Macau.
Both Nietes and Ioka have to sign the fight contract, but ESPN?s Dan Rafael reported that Tom Loeffler of 360 Promotions told him on Tuesday him that a deal has been reached by promoters of both fighters ? TLAROCK for the Japanese and Miguel Aldeguer of ALA Promotions for the Filipino.
Rafael, ESPN senior writer wrote that handlers agreed to match their wards after several weeks of negotiations.
The fight is slated to take place on Dec. 31 at the Wynn Palace Resort in Macau, China. The New Year's holiday is a traditional time for world title bouts in Asia.
Nietes (41-1-5, 23 KOs), 36, who had previously held the WBO mini-flyweight title from 2007 to 2011; the WBO and The Ring magazine junior-flyweight titles between 2011 and 2016; and the IBF flyweight title from 2017 to 2018, will be eyeing his fourth weight division belt.
And so will Ioka (23-1, 13 KOs), 29, who wishes to follow up his grip of the WBA and WBC minimumweight titles between 2011 and 2012, the WBA light flyweight title between 2012 and 2014, and the WBA flyweight title between 2015 and 2017 with another crown.
Nietes had recently fought to a draw countryman Aston Palicte on Loeffler's "Superfly 3" HBO-televised card on September 8 at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
Ioka, in his last fight, ended a 17-month retirement and made his debut in the junior bantamweight division with a 10-round decision win over McWilliams Arroyo on the Nietes-Palicte undercard.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Gomera and Ding are set to clash for the WBC Asia 126 belt By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 05 Feb 2026“Thunderdome 53 is stacked and I cant wait to see these fights March 13 at Thunderdome 53 - Promoter Tony Tolj , Thu, 05 Feb 2026WORLD ELITE SUMO MAKES ITS PRUDENTIAL CENTER DEBUT ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18 , Thu, 05 Feb 2026Sumalinog Brothers Score Wins in Bohol; Sign with Monty Flores (PHOTOS) By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 05 Feb 2026MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH TEAM BOXING LEAGUE , Thu, 05 Feb 2026Trifon Petrov unveils the signing of another USA Team member in Ariana Carrasco , Thu, 05 Feb 2026Jerome Gonzales off to a marvelous start in J&P 10 Ball Cup at Pacman's Cue Club By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 05 Feb 2026DCL amateur MMA on Feb. 21 at Sta. Lucia Mall By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 05 Feb 2026THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 3 FEBRUARY 2026: Shakur Schools Teofimo to Become 4-Division Champ; Zayas Unifies WBA/WBO Superwelter; Kelly Beats Murtazaliev By Eric Armit, , Wed, 04 Feb 2026Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: A Grand Week for Boxing in NY By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Wed, 04 Feb 2026Boxlab Promotions Euri Cedeno and Carlos De Leon Castro Shine in San Juan Victories , Wed, 04 Feb 2026National Boxing Hall of Fame 2026 is set to April 26 in Montebello, California By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 04 Feb 2026Vito Mielnicki Jr. Returns Home to Defend WBC USA, IBF USBA and WBO Global Middleweight Championships Against Omar Ulises Huerta , Wed, 04 Feb 2026Noah Lucas Palcis sees action in Bangkok chess meet By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 04 Feb 2026Reymond Yanong Edges Out Hayato Ono for Split Decision Win in Japan By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 03 Feb 2026“I’m gonna smoke whoever is in front of me, Anthony Wright- Hearn makes his pro debut March 13 at Thunderdome 53 , Tue, 03 Feb 2026Pacman's Cue Club Hosts J&P 10 Ball Cup from Feb. 4 to 7 By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 03 Feb 2026Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge is back By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 03 Feb 2026WILDER AND CHISORA FACE OFF IN ICONIC TIMES SQUARE TO ANNOUNCE APRIL 4 HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN AT THE O2 LONDON , Tue, 03 Feb 2026World Boxing appoints Tom Dielen as new Secretary General , Tue, 03 Feb 2026Sullivan Management signs 19-1 power-punching Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga , Tue, 03 Feb 2026Another Grandeza in MMA is coming By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 03 Feb 2026Gracie meets Zubiri in PH By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 02 Feb 2026International Master Eric Labog Jr. rules FIDE rapid chess tourney By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 02 Feb 202676ers star Paul George has been suspended for 25 NBA games by doping By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 01 Feb 2026 |

|
|
|
|
|