Philippines, 21 Feb 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Nietes, seven other boxers, honoured in 29th SAC-SMB Cebu Sports Awards


PhilBoxing.com




Cebu City - WBO minimumweight world champion Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes is boxing?s lone recipient of a major award during the 29th Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC)-San Miguel Brewery (SMB) Cebu Sports Awards. The event takes place this February 19 at the Ayala Activity Center.

Nietes is also one of the athletes in contention for the Athlete of the Year Award.

Nietes (27W-1L-3D, 15 KO?s) is honoured for his singular feat of successfully defending his title for the third straight time in Mexico against Mario Rodriguez last August 14, 2010. This was his fourth title defense in total and he has reigned as world champ for three years and five months. Nietes hails from
Bacolod City and has fought out of the ALA gym of Cebu as a professional since 2003.

He started 2010 by beating another Mexican, Jesus Silvestre by 10th round TKO in a non-title fight held in Pasay City.

Nietes' closest rival for Cebu?s Athlete of the Year award is Rogelio ?Banjo? Barcenilla, Jr. who was officially conferred the elusive chess Grandmaster title during the 81st FIDE Congress held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia in October of last year. He earned his third and final GM norm at Copper State International Chess Championship in Arizona last June 2009. Barcenilla is now based in the United States and traces his roots to Carcar, Cebu.

Among those up for major awards are Cebuano cue artists Warren Kiamco, who won a silver medal in 9-ball in the 2010 Asian Games and Rubilen Amit, who reached the semifinals of last year?s Women?s World 10-ball championship.

The awards night is considered the ?Oscars? of Cebu sports. Five more professional boxers will be given special citations on Saturday:

Milan?Metodico? Melindo (23W-0L, 7 KO?s) of Cagayan de Oro and the ALA Gym of Cebu won the WBC Youth Intercontinental flyweight title against Anthony Villareal of the U.S. last January 14, 2010. He would fight three more times,
knocking out Komrit Twins Gym of Thailand in his first title defense in Dubai. He then stopped Jin-man Jeon of Korea before scoring the biggest win of his career by beating Carlos Tamara of Colombia by unanimous decision at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel last November 27, 2010.

Rocky Fuentes (28W-6L-2D, 18 KO?s) of Mambaling, Cebu City and the ALA Gym won the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight title last March 9,2010 by majority decision against Masafumi Okubo of Japan. He would fight two
more times in Japan, stopping Shigetaka Ikehara and Yasuto Aritomi. His third defense was a 2nd round TKO win over Inthanon Sithchamuang of Thailand at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel last November.

Roli Gasca (15W-1L, 2 KO?s) of Barili, Cebu and the ALA gym won the Pan Asian Boxing Association (PABA) Bantamweight title with a stunning upset 6th round KO win over the defending champion from Thailand, Tabtimdaeng Na Rachawat, who was previously ranked number 3 by the WBA.

Malcolm Tu?acao (28W-2L-3D, 17 KO?s) of Mandaue City captured the OPBF bantamweight title by split decision over Seung-suk Chae of South Korea. He defended his title twice in Japan in 2010 and for the third time early this month with a technical knockout win over Japanese challenger Daigo Nakahiro.

Mercito ?No Mercy? Gesta (20W-0L-1D, 10 KO?s) of Labogon, Mandaue City went on a tear in the U.S., winning four bouts this year and the North American Boxing Organization (NABO) Youth lightweight title with a fourth round stoppage over Oscar Meza of Mexico.

Former amateur standouts Albert Pagara and Michael Romarate will also be given citations for their performance in national tournaments last year including the Dante Tinga Cup ? National Invitational Amateur Boxing Team Championships.

Pagara and Romarate have since turned professional and continued their winning ways.

The winner of the SAC Athlete of the Year award will be announced during Saturday's awards ceremonies.

(Photos above: clockwise from top left ? Nietes, Fuentes, Gesta, Gasca, Tunacao and Melindo)


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Barrios vs Garcia: Where Art Thou Ryan Garcia?
    By Chris Carlson, , Fri, 20 Feb 2026
  • Pacman bout details revealed
    By Joaquin Henson, , Fri, 20 Feb 2026
  • IIEE to defend Billiard crown in PTC World 2026, World Champ Magpantay is PSA Awardee
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 20 Feb 2026
  • Wood-Warrington II Press Conference Quotes: Everything that Was Said Ahead of Saturday's Sold-Out Rematch in Nottingham
    , Fri, 20 Feb 2026
  • Manny Pacquiao Promotions Announces Opponents for Rising Stars Jimuel Pacquiao Jr. and Curmel Moton on Feb. 28 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York
    , Fri, 20 Feb 2026
  • Rising Star Promotions Returns to Prudential Center April 10 LIVE ON PROBOX TV
    , Fri, 20 Feb 2026
  • Sante Barley Trilogy Leg 1 on March 29 in Azuela
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 20 Feb 2026
  • Team Rapid chess tourney goes to Pasay City on March 8 By Marlon Bernardino
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 20 Feb 2026
  • 3rd Horse Show & competition scheduled on February 21-22
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 19 Feb 2026
  • Robinsons Bacolod Chess Festival set
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 19 Feb 2026
  • TRAINING CAMP NOTES: Alex Bray Set for WBA Continental Latin American Title Clash February 20 in Orlando
    , Thu, 19 Feb 2026
  • Ryan ‘The Bruiser’ Rozicki Calls out Jai Opetaia
    , Thu, 19 Feb 2026
  • BREAKING NEWS: DAZN AND MATCHROOM BOXING SIGN NEW FIVE-YEAR DEAL
    , Thu, 19 Feb 2026
  • 75 climbers start trekking to Mt. Apo today
    , Thu, 19 Feb 2026
  • 4 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Erik Morales Confirmed for Ninth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Cinco De Mayo Weekend, Saturday May 2, in Las Vegas
    , Thu, 19 Feb 2026
  • TRAINING CAMP NOTES: Dainier Pero Locked In Ahead of WBA Continental USA Title Defense in Orlando
    , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • A Milestone Birthday: Celebrating Brico Santig's 50 Years of Dedication, and Triumph
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • PH bet Chezka Centeno finishes 2nd in Florida
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • ARNOLD BARBOZA JR. AND KENNETH SIMS JR. SET FOR HIGH-STAKES CLASH IN CAN’T-MISS MAIN EVENT ON DAZN
    , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • CALLUM SMITH VS DAVID MORRELL MEGA FIGHT SET FOR APRIL 18 IN LIVERPOOL AS PAT BROWN HEADLINES IN HIS HOMETOWN ON APRIL 3
    , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • 2026 USA Boxing Youth High Performance Selection Camp Attendees Announced
    , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • Rapid chessfest gets underway February 22
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 16 FEBRUARY 2026: Ajagba, Dzambekov, Ruiz Register Stoppage Wins in Zuffa Event
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • Mexican government and WBC join forces to create mega-project “Boxing for Peace”
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • All eyes on GM Johan-Sebastian Christiansen in Manny Pacquiao International Open dubbed as 87th Kalilangan Chess Festival 2026
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 17 Feb 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.