FILIPINO boxer Donnie Nietes will let his fists decide the outcome of his world-title challenge this coming Sunday at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, Cebu.
Nietes said he won?t allow the judges to decide his fate once he faces undefeated Thai pugilist Pornsawan Kratingdaenggym in a 12-round bout for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) minimumweight crown.
?Pinaghandaan ko talaga itong laban namin. Tingin ko kaya kong pasukin ?yung depensa niya,? said Nietes. ?Kung kaya kong manalo ng knockout gagawin ko para sigurado. Hindi kasi natin masasabi kung paano makikita ng judges ang laban.?
Last February in Cebu, boxing patron Tony Aldeguer along with chief deputy Sammy Gello-ani promoted the world-title challenge of Z Gorres against defending WBO super-flyweight champion Fernando Montiel.
Experts at ringside felt Gorres won that fight but even though the bout was held right in Gorres?s backyard, the Mexican champion Montiel kept his belt with a controversial split-verdict win.
Judges for the Nietes-Kratingdaenggym title match are Filipino Salven Lagumbay, Thai Sawaeng Thaweekoon and American Levi Martinez while another American Raul Caiz Jr. will be the third man in the ring.
The 25-year-old Nietes, a native of Murcia, Negros Occidental, is eyeing to become the country?s fourth world champion after WBO bantamweight king Gerry Pe?alosa, International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight ruler Florante Condes and IBF flyweight boss Nonito Donaire Jr.
Puerto Rican Ivan Calderon relinquished the 105-throne after recently winning the WBO light-flyweight belt from Hugo Cazares of Mexico.
Kratingdaenggym, 29, has never lost in 20 fights (15 by knockouts), but all of his bouts were held in Thailand. The hardworking Nietes has compiled an equally impressive slate of 19-1-3, with 11 KOs.
In fighting for the world crown, Nietes had to renounce his WBO Asia-Pacific title, a regional crown that will be disputed by Nietes?s stablemate Milan Melindo and Thai Naupayak Sakkririn on October 6 in Cagayan de Oro.
Serving as the supporting undercard of the Nietes-Kratingdaenggym title match, the 18-year-old AJ Banal vies for the WBO youth super-flyweight crown against Esau Gaona of Mexico.
Spicing up the world-class card are several championship bouts featuring two Asia-Pacific title clashes, an Intercontinental title fight and one Philippine championship match.
Official weigh-in of the card will happen tomorrow at the Cebu Grand Hotel. The fight card will be shown live via Solar Sports and RPN 9 starting at 7pm.
