With the Yuletide season in full swing, Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes is looking to get himself one historic gift when he faces on December 31 the dangerous Kazuto Ioka of Japan for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior bantamweight (115 lbs.) championship.
Nietes (41-1, 5 draws with 23 knockouts) is looking to become only the third Filipino after Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire Jr. to be crowned four-division world champion. Nietes came close to bagging a fourth plum in September, but his 12-round bout with countryman Aston Palicte for the WBO jr. bantamweight crown was declared a draw.
The road to a fourth plum does not figure to be a walk in the park for Nietes. Standing on the opposite side of the ring is Ioka, a three-division champion who is also eyeing to become Japan?s first ever four-division world champ.
Like Nietes, Ioka (23-1 with 13 knockouts) has won world titles in the minimumweight (105 lbs.), junior flyweight (108 lbs.) and flyweight (112 lbs.) divisions. Ioka was at the peak of his career when he announced his retirement in December 2017, just five months after posting his fifth defense of the World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight crown. Ioka claimed he was already satisfied with three division titles and was looking to embark on another adventure.
The ?retirement? turned out to be short-lived. Ioka announced his comeback in July and formally returned to the ring in September with an impressive 10-round unanimous decision over Puerto Rican McWilliams Arroyo. The fight with Arroyo marked Ioka?s debut in the junior bantamweight class and the Japanese made known his intention to pursue a fourth division title.
Nietes and Ioka have lost only once in their illustrious careers. Nietes dropped a close split decision to Angky Angkotta in September 2004 while Ioka lost a similar decision to Thailand?s Amnat Ruenroeng in May 2014. Both fighters are entering their showdown on the crest of lengthy winning streaks.
Nietes has not tasted defeat since the loss to Angkotta; a winning streak that has covered 34 fights and 14 years. In this winning streak, only Palicte, Moises Fuentes, Nino Suelo, Carlos Besares and Greg Mangan salvaged draws with Nietes. Nietes has a record of 16-0, 2 draws in world title fights. He is 8-1 in fights held outside the Philippines. Ioka is 14-1 in world title fights and is 6-1 in fights against reigning or former world champions.
Ioka has compiled 9 straight wins losing to Ruenroeng. The Japanese holds one victory against a Filipino boxer; knocking out Albert Alcoy in 9 rounds in July 2010.
In terms of fighting style, Nietes offers a more cautious, defense-oriented counterpunching approach. Nietes though offers a right straight that has leveled quite a few opponents. Nietes is already 36 years old, but he remains a tough nut to crack.
Ioka, in stark contrast, is an aggressive boxer-puncher. He loves to work behind the left jab and offers a good left hook-right straight combination. The 29-year-old Ioka has knocked out 3 of his last 5 opponents.
Nietes is easily facing the toughest test of his career. He is battling Father Time and a younger Ioka who loves to throw punches in bunches. Nietes is a defensive wizard and it will be interesting to see if will be able to dodge Ioka?s searing offensive. Ioka does not really move his head well and there are occasions when he tends to get lured in a brawl; this could make him a sucker for Nietes? counter right hand.
Nietes-Ioka has all the trimmings of chess match. Ioka, younger and more aggressive, will look to control the pace and force Nietes out of his comfort zone. Nietes cannot afford to be that passive on offense and will have to occasionally step out of his counterpunching cocoon and show Ioka that experience remains the best teacher.
