ALA Promotions is closing in on achieving its goal of staging World Boxing Organization (WBO) mini-flyweight king Donnie Nietes? world title fight with interim WBO mini-flyweight champion Raul Garcia here in the Philippines.
?There?s an 80 to 85 percent chance it might happen,? ALA Promotions president Michael Alde-guer told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday of the development of their negotiations with top Mexican promotional outfit Zanfer Promotions.
Nietes has been defending his WBO strap in his last three title defenses in Mexico against Mexican challengers Erik Ramirez, Manuel Vargas and Mario Rodriguez in the past two years.
Although ALA Promotions got a nod from Zanfer Promotions to hold the fight here in the country, the Philippines? leading promotional company doesn?t consider it final until both parties have signed a contract.
?It was part of ALA Promotions? plan to bring world-class boxing to the Philippines.
They (Zanfer Promotions) knew that we are here to make it happen. We made things happen for them,? said Aldeguer, who granted all of Zanfer Promotions? demands just to hold the fight in the country and not in Mexico.
Details
Aldeguer said that if all the details have been ironed out, the blockbuster event will take place in Cebu City, most likely at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino on a Sunday morning, which is a rare occurrence.
?Bacolod is out. Manila is out. It will be in Cebu already. Cebu deserves it for sure,? he said. ?A morning boxing event will be something new to the fans, but Sunday is usually a boxing day. Instead of watching boxing on TV, they can watch it live.?
ALA Promotions is targeting to stage the event on April 17, but if there will be a few hitches, it might be postponed for June. Aldeguer crossed out a May date because it will be the month when Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao takes on former world champion Shane Mosley.
?We?re trying to fix the dates. It?s hard to stage it in May because there?s a Pacquiao fight.?
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on February 09, 2011.
