AFTER a successful campaign as a mini-flyweight, World Boxing Organization champion Donnie Nietes will make his light flyweight debut next month in his hometown Bacolod City.
Nietes will be in a non-title bout against Mexican Armando Vazquez in the main event of ?Pinoy Pride 5? on April 9 at the De La Salle University gym before taking a crack at the WBO light flyweight title in July.
Nietes has achieved a lot in his long stint in the 105-pound class and became one of the longest reigning Filipino world champions. He is the only Filipino who won four world title fights in Mexico. The 28-year-old Bacolod native was also mentioned in a book written by renowned boxing personalities Bert Sugar and Teddy Atlas, ?The Ultimate Book of Boxing Lists,? as one of the greatest boxers of all time in the 105-pound division.
?He is comfortable at that weight. We have talked about this for a long time already,? said Aldeguer.
Nietes?s goal was to surpass the late Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde?s record as the longest reigning Filipino world champion. However, he has foregone that goal in search of a greater dream?to become a multi-division world champion like Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire Jr.
Nietes believes he can still win titles at the super flyweight division and become a four-division world champion.
Nietes has been sparring with Oriental and Pacific flyweight champion Rocky Fuentes and the unbeaten Milan Melindo, who is scheduled to take on Mexican Rosendo Vega next Saturday in ?Pinoy Pride 4?Philippines vs. World.?
