THE third All-Filipino world title showdown in pro boxing history is all set to take place in Inglewood, California on September 8, when Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes takes on Aston ?Mighty? Palicte for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior bantamweight/super flyweight (115 lbs.) championship.
Heading into the fight, Nietes and Palicte have been trading verbal punches aimed at getting themselves hyped up for the match. Nietes is telling reporters that he is out to avenge his cousin Gerald Nietes who was beaten by Palicte in the amateur ranks.
For his part, Palicte admitted looking up to Nietes as one of his ring idols when he was still a tyro in pro boxing. Palicte, however, is bent on setting aside such admiration to fulfill his dream of becoming a world champion. As Palicte puts it, Nietes will remain one of his idols, after he beats him, that is.
From where this writer stands, the third All-Pinoy world title fight can use a little in-the-ring ?animosity.?
If the first two All-Filipino world title matches will be used as a measuring stick, Nietes and Palicte really need to light a fire to provide boxing fans something that is long overdue: a truly competitive world title fight between two Filipinos.
Pancho Villa was partying heavily in Manila when he decided to defend the world flyweight title against Leyte-native Clever Sencio on May 2, 1925. Villa needed some extra cash to keep the parties going and defending the crown before his countrymen at the Wallace Field, Manila was the easiest way to keep his wallet bloated. This was the first All-Filipino world title fight in history and Villa waltzed to a ho-hum 15-round unanimous decision victory.
Going into the fight, Villa had earned a reputation as one of the cleanest fighters in the sport, one who readily turned away and walked to a neutral corner after knocking his foe down, and this was before the rules requiring going to a neutral corner was established. Facing his countryman Sencio who only had six fights tucked under his belt, Villa was all the more cautious and ?friendly.? He didn?t want to beat up the kid who was one of his well-wishers at the docks when he left Manila to campaign in the United States.
Ninety-three years later, in May 2018, Jerwin Ancajas outclassed Jonas Sultan to retain his International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight crown in only the second All-Filipino world title fight. Not a few thought Ancajas took it easy on Sultan, too.
There are reasons behind such lukewarm performances. From a cultural standpoint, nobody wants to play the ?villain? in the story and draw the ire of local fight fans. The country does not have many quality fighters and the last thing local fans want to see is one prospect eliminating the other prospect. It is really difficult to bring your A-game when you are trading punches with your countryman. This explains why Filipino fighters perform better fighting overseas opposite a foreign adversary. In such a scenario, it is easy to get the adrenaline going.
Nietes and Palicte, who both hail from Negros Occidental, are looking to alter the pattern. Truth be told, the combatants have the skills necessary to make their showdown a ?rumble to remember.?
Nietes, 41-1, 4 draws with 23 knockouts, offers experience and a career that appears to be aging like fine wine. He is already 36 years old, but is coming off one of the best performances of his career: a 7th round stoppage of Juan Carlos Reveco last February that finally introduced him to the international fight scene. Undefeated since 2004, Nietes is gunning for his fourth division world title after enjoying title reigns in the minimumweight (105 lbs.), junior flyweight (108 lbs.) and flyweight (112 lbs.) ranks.
Palicte, 24-2 with 20 knockouts, stands a towering 5?7? and has won three of his last four fights by knockout. Last December, Palicte used a debilitating body shot to stop in five rounds former interim WBA junior flyweight champ Jose Alfredo Rodriguez of Mexico. Palicte 27, is a stand-up fighter who boasts of a world-class left jab and a gunpowder-loaded overhand right. Palicte lacks the big-fight experience and defensive toughness of Nietes, but he can bang with the rest of the junior bantamweights.
Skill-wise, Nietes-Palicte has all the trimmings of a good fight. Now add a tinge of hot sauce, that little ?animosity,? and we have an All-Filipino world title showdown that may finally live up to expectations.
