Albert Pagara is set to leave for his US training on Monday night.   Photo by:  Jerome Ascano

UNBEATEN Albert Pagara faces the toughest test of his young and promising career as he takes on durable Mexican Cesar Juarez in the main event of the ‘Pinoy Pride’ US edition this coming July.

The 22-year-old pride of Maasin, Leyte is well aware of the task at hand that he’ll be leaving for Los Angeles on Monday night to start training and get in shape for the 12-round super-bantamweight fight set on July 9 at the San Mateo Event Center in California.

Juarez is a familiar name for Filipino fight fans, having stretched Filipino Nonito Donaire Jr. to 12 grueling rounds before losing by unanimous decision in their World Boxing Organization (WBO) championship match last December in Puerto Rico.

But Pagara said he doesn’t fear his 24-year-old foe from Mexico City, who sports a 17-5 record, including 13 by KOs.

“Hindi ako takot sa kanya. Bakit naman tayo matatakot,” said the rising fighter from the ALA Promotions stable when he faced media men on Monday over lunch, just hours prior to his U.S. departure.

“Kaya natin yan,” added Pagara, whose unbeaten in 26 fights, 18 of which by KOs.

ALA Sports Promotions International Inc. president and CEO Michael Aldeguer is aware Juarez is a dangerous opponent for Pagara.

“This is the biggest test for Albert. We knew it would be a dangerous fight and a risk to his WBO No. 2 world ranking,” said Aldeguer in a statement.

“But again, just like (Mark) Magsayo, we need to find out if he has what it takes to be a world champion. Juarez gave Nonito Donaire one of the toughest fights in his career, so this should be another exciting fight. This will be a make or break for Albert.”

The younger of the two Pagara fighting brothers will be leaving for Los Angeles together with trainer Michael Domingo. They will be joined later by chief cornerman Edito Villamor shortly after Donnie Nietes’ defense of his WBO minimumweight title against Raul Garcia at La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City on May 28.

It will be the first time Pagara will be in the US by his lonesome.

“Medyo malungkot kasi mag isa lang tayo,” said Pagara, who was joined by brother Albert, Nietes, and Magsayo during his first ever stint in America last October.

“Pero para naman sa pamilya natin ito, para sa bayan. kaya konting tiis lang.”
www.spin.ph/boxing/news/unbeaten-albert-pagara-ready-to-face-toughest-challenge-as-he-battles-durable-mexican-cesar-juarez#yJ6GB1etSP91ZADY.99

nietes-garcia-GR-052716 Donnie Nietes vows not to disappoint provincemates in his defense of his WBO title against Mexican Raul Garcia. Photo by:  Gerry Ramos

BACOLOD CITY – Donnie Nietes sees twin brothers Raul and Ramon Garcia as almost the same fighters. And it goes without saying he expects the same result for him when he stakes his World Boxing Organization (WBO) light-flyweight crown on the line.

The beloved son of Negros Occidental vowed not to disappoint against the cocky Raul Garcia in their 12-round title match at the La Salle Coliseum on Saturday night, almost five years since he beat the Mexican challenger’s sibling via a unanimous decision in exactly the same fight venue.

And unlike that 2011 championship bout in which Nietes, now 33, came close to going down in the last few rounds after losing steam in the stretch, he said the same won’t happen to him this time around.

“Grabe ang strength and conditioning na ginawa namin,” admitted Nietes after some carbo oading following the official weigh-in on Friday afternoon for Pinoy Pride 36: A Legend in the Making at the Robinson’s Place here.

“Dati kinakapos ang stamina ko. Before parang five or six rounds lang tayo. Ngayon, pinag-aralan talaga namin paano makaabot ng 12 rounds (yung stamina ko),” said the longest reigning Filipino world champion of all time, who tipped the scale at exactly 108-lbs.

That’s exactly what happened to him against Ramon Garcia Hirales, when he had to rely on heart and sheer will to survive the late onslaught by the Mexican to win his second world title which he holds until today.

Raul was at ringside that same night, and believes his brother did enough to win the fight.

“He remembers the fight very well. It was a very close fight, and he believes his brother should have won by one or two points, but the judges gave it to Nietes,” said one of Raul’s cornermen.

“Revenge is very much on his mind. Revenge for the honor of his brother and the honor of the country,” he added of the challenger, who also came in at 108 lbs for the main event of the boxing card put up by ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports.

Raul trained almost five months for a shot at another world title in a second weight division, establishing his camp in a desert near Mexico City located 3,000 miles above sea level.

In all, the former WBO minimumweight champion (36-3-1, 22 KOs) worked 160 rounds of sparring to prepare for the bout.

“There’s no one who’s got balls than the Mexican fighters. if Donnie stays in the middle and fights like a man, he’s gonna knock him out,” said Garcia’s interpreter. “But Donnie will fight and run. So he’s ready for both, whether he runs or he stays in front of me.”

Nietes said fighting style wise, Raul and Ramon are just the same.

“I think same lang sila, lookalike and style,” said the champion (37-1-4, 21 KOs), who’s making the ninth defense of his title.

The pride of the municipality of Murcia, said he’ll be very patient this time unlike during his fight with Ramon Garcia before.

“Ang mind-set ko talaga huwag mag-madali, relax lang tayo. Maging patient and maghanap ng paraan paano tayo manalo,” he said.

Once inside the ring, though, Raul said Nietes will realize he’s a different animal than his brother.

“My style and my brother is different,” said Garcia. “I’m very confident I’m gonna come out the winner.”

In the main undercard, Arthur Villanueva and Mexican Juan Jimenez both made weight for their WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight championship fight. Villanueva tipped in at 117.5 lbs., while Jimenez was at 118 lbs.

Milan Melindo however, came in four lbs. over the weight limit for his flyweight match against another Mexican in Maximino Flores. The native of Cagayan de Oro City weighed 114 lbs. to the 110 of Flores, although camps of both fighters agreed to go on with the fight using bigger gloves, and possibly, a corresponding fine on Melindo.
www.spin.ph/boxing/news/donnie-nietes-sees-nothing-different-between-raul-garcia-and-twin-brother-ramon-predicts-to-retain-wbo-title#H5zbEdhwBFgwJI2b.99

donaire-magdaleno.duo.01.300x300

The sensational crowd of over 23,000 who watched WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire successfully defend his title with a dominating 3rd round TKO over No. 4 ranked former Hungarian Olympian Zsolt Bedak and the huge 25.4 TV ratings on ABS-CBN Channel 2 has attracted the attention of Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who had to skip the fight because of a bad back but sent executive producer Brad Jacobs to represent him and saw how ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN combined to present a world class event.

The result is Top Rank wants to continue to relationship in staging Donaire’s next title defense also at the sprawling Cebu Sports Center or in Dubai where ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN have staged highly successful “Pinoy Pride” events in the past at the International Trade Center.

However, if the next title defense of the five division world champion is staged in Dubai it will be at one of the larger venues in the United Arab Emirates.

The two possible opponents are both handled by Top Rank – WBO No. 1 ranked super bantamweight, unbeaten Jessie Magdaleno or undefeated featherweight Oscar Valdez who has a fight lined up for him on July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena possibly against WBO featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko which leaves Magdaleno as the possible challenger especially after he told Steve Kim of Boxing Scene “I would love a crack at Donaire next, “who’s record now stands at 22-0(16 KO’s).

Magdaleno said “I’ve been waiting for awhile and now that he (Nonito) has a WBO title, I want it even more.”

Magdaleno’s complemented Donaire as “a great fighter, I feel like he did what he did in boxing already and he put on a great show Friday night (when he beat Cesar Juarez to win the vacant title but I feel like his time is done and it’s time for the new generation to make their mark in the history books and in boxing and feel like that fighter who can do that.”

Magdaleno’s manager Frank Espinoza told BoxingScene.com that he and promoter Bob Arum had spoken about a possible title fight and they both liked the idea saying” I think Jessie is more than ready to step up at this point.”

Both Donaire and Magdaleno are promoted by Top Rank but Arum said that while he is more than willing to make the fight he has one condition that “We have to have a clear understanding and a program that (Jessie) is going to be able to make the 122 limit because his last three or four fights he’s been way over the limit and we can’t tolerate that.”

In his last fight on October 17th Magdaleno came in at 127.5 pounds stopping Filipino Vergel Nebron in one round and Arum insisted “I’m not going ahead with that fight unless I have complete assurances plus a plan, a nutritionist, that he’s going to make the fight.”

But the veteran promoter likes the idea of this match-up saying “I like the fight because it’s a fight that resonates in Las Vegas, both of the guys live in Vegas.” As for when Magdaleno fights again the 24-year old southpaw explained, “It’s in the works, right now.“

www.philboxing.com/news/story-118940.html

Donnie Nietes

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HOME is where the heart is for Donnie Nietes when he puts his World Boxing Organization (WBO) light-flyweight title on the line later this month.

The 33-year-old Filipino will be fighting in front of his provincemates on May 28 at La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod as the featured main event in the 36th edition of Pinoy Pride: A Legend in the Making.

It will be the first bout of Nietes in Negros Occidental since 2011 when he first wrested the 108-lb. title belt with a unanimous decision win over Ramon Garcia Hirales.

“Sobrang excited na,” said the proud son of Murcia, Negros Occidental about his impending homecoming just three weeks from now.

Incidentally, Nietes will be up against Raul ‘Rayito’ Garcia, the twin brother of Ramon Garcia.

Garcia, from Baja, California Sur, Mexico, packs a wallop as the 33-year-old southpaw challenger carries a 38-3-1 record, including 23 by KOs.

Currently on a five-fight win streak, Garcia has a common opponent with Nietes in Moises Fuentes to whom the Mexican lost by split decision in 2011. In contrast, the Filipino champion twice defeated Fuentes via a majority decision (Waterfront Hotel in Cebu, 2013) and by technical knockout (Mall of Asia, 2014).

“Pero siyempre hindi rin tayo basta mag-kumpiyansa,” said Nietes on Wednesday when he faced a select group of mediamen over lunch courtesy of ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports.

Nietes co-trainer Edwin Villamor said the camp of the longest-reigning Filipino world champion ever has repeatedly watched the tape of the Fuentes-Garcia bout.

“Magandang laban, parehong Mexicano,” said the brother of ALA boxing gym head trainer Edito Villamor. “Pero dun pa lang, may idea na kami kung paano siya atakihin.”

Nietes admitted being still 10 pounds over the limit, but sees no problem shedding off the excess weight.

He is already in the final phase of his training, having gone 12 rounds in sparring on Tuesday against heavier sparmates.

The champion’s camp will be in Manila until Saturday when they fly back to Cebu and resume training at the ALA boxing gym.

Nietes plans to be in Bacolod at least two weeks before the 12-round match.

The WBO title holder last fought in October of 2015 when he retained his title belt with a unanimous decision win over Juan Alejo in his first ever U.S. bout held at the StarHub Center in Carson, California.

www.spin.ph/boxing/news/donnie-nietes-ready-to-showcase-talent-before-provincemates-as-he-defends-wbo-title-in-bacolod-

donaire-bedak.fn.06.330w  By Ronnie Nathanielsz –

Two weeks after eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao scored an impressive unanimous twelve round decision in his trilogy with Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley and announced he was hanging up his gloves to pursue his mission of public service through election to the Senate in next month’s elections, Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire stepped up to assume Manny’s mantle of national sports hero by crushing former Hungarian Olympian and world No. 4 ranked Zsolt Bedak in three rounds before an ecstatic crowd of 25,000 supporters at the sprawling Cebu City Sports Center on a hot and humid Saturdaynight.

After an initial feeling-out round, Donaire connected with his lethal left hook to send the challenger who is himself known as “Mr. Left Hook” crashing to the canvas midway in round two.

With blood dripping from his battered nose, Bedak gamely got up only to be deposited on the seat of his trunks with another vicious left hook that had “no mercy” written all over it.

The bell mercifully saved the Hungarian Olympian who had lost only once before in his career as a pro in a title fight against Wilfredo Vazquez Jr who won by a 10th round TKO after Bedak who suffered a broken jaw in round two survived in a gallant effort for eight more rounds before he called it quits. Vasquez himself was dropped and beaten in lopsided fashion by Donaire who won the super bantamweight title at the Alamadome in San Antonio Texas some years ago.

It was clear the end was near as Donaire, cheered on by fight fans who had embraced him after his heroic battle against an unbelievably strong Cesar Juarez of Mexico to win the 122 pound crown for the second time following his crushing 6th round stoppage against the bigger, stronger Nicholas “Axe Man” Walters, chased the wobbly challenger and ripped into him this time with a cracking right hand that dropped Bedak for a third time giving renowned referee Russell Mora no choice but to call a halt to the massacre at 2:44 of the third round.

donaire-bedak.fn.05.600wDespite a battered, bloodied face with blood dripping from his nose and mouth, Bedak assured media that he was fine.

Donaire won the hearts of the hometown crowd by speaking in Bisaya since the island of Cebu is proud of its language and boxing heritage. With this memorable performance, Donaire showed that he is indeed worthy of the monicker “Flash”, a name that was worn by Cebu’s favorite son and legendary boxer, Gabriel Elorde, the son of a poor farmer from the town of Bogo who was the longest reigning Filipino world champion until WBO light flyweight Donnie Nietes punched his way to surpass the record in January last year.

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer who teamed up with lead promoter Top Rank and the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN told The Standard that the plan is to see whether Donaire’s next title defense could also be staged in the Philippines in the face of the massive support from Filipino fight fans looking for someone to carry the torch for Philippine boxing.

www.philboxing.com/news/story-118577.html

bedak-donaire-cebu I CAME HERE TO BOX, that’s what challenger Zsolt Bedak (left), a technical former Olympian, said about his fight tomorrow with WBO super bantamweight title holder Nonito Donaire Jr. He said the match will go 12 rounds. However, for Nonito Donaire Sr., the trainer of the champion, the fight will end with Bedak’s knockout in the sixth round.

A visibly pumped Nonito Donaire Jr. is drawing energy from the home crowd, hoping for an explosive finish against challenger Zsolt Bedak in his first defense of the WBO super bantamweight title at the Cebu City Sports Center.

“I feel like there’s a fire burning inside me. Dako kaayo akong pasalamat sa mga tawo, I am very motivated because of the crowd,” the defending champion said after hitting 121 and 3/4 pounds in his first try at the official weigh-in today.

Donaire, a five-division champion with a 36-3, 23KO record, is making his first title defense of the belt he won against Cesar Juarez in his first fight in Cebu.

Zsolt Bedak, who is 25-1 with 8KOs, also made the limit easily at 121 and 1/2 pounds. He expects the fight to go the distance as he came prepared to last 12 rounds against the champion.

KNOCKOUT WIN

However, for Nonito Donaire Sr., the trainer of the champion, he sees the fight ending as early as the sixth round.

“I think it will be until the sixth round only,” said Donaire Sr.

Though he said his son is no longer looking for that one-punch KO, he still sees a knockout win.

“It’s not like before that he’d go in and throw a punch. We will be looking at combos, straight,” he said. “If you feint, Bedak covers up.”

The elder Donaire sees the fight ending in the later rounds should Bedak opt to hold and run, but said the technical former Olympian is perfect for his son.

Bedak ‘won’t be running’

“I like a fighter who throws a lot of punches, because that’s when you can see an opening,” said Donaire Sr.

However, the challenger said he won’t be running come fight night.

“I didn’t come here to put up my hand and run, I came here to box,” he said. “It’s going to go 12 rounds, we prepared for 12 rounds. It’s going to be a decision.”

Bedak has won his last 10 fights since losing to Coliseo Rodriguez in their WBO super bantamweight title bout.

Meanwhile, ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer expects a crowd of 30,000 for tomorrow’s bout, eclipsing the 24,000 who saw Z Gorres’ fight against Fernando Montiel.

www.mycebu..ph/article/donaire-bedak-weigh-in-cebu/

donnie-nietes_3

By Ronnie Nathanielsz –

Mexican promoter Oswaldo Kuchle has informed BoxingScene.com/The Standard that he has “released Raul Garcia to fight Donnie Nietes, the WBO light flyweight champion and the longest reigning Filipino world champion” following the willingness of Zanfer Promotions Fernando Beltran to postpone the mandatory challenge of Moises Fuentes against Nietes for a more lucrative showdown at the StubHub Center in Carson City, California on September 24.

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told The Standard that he first wants to “agree on what is going to be out there for Fuentes before we can agree on the Garcia fight.”

He said “if we fight Garcia in May we need to discuss the mandatory with Fuentes in September” before confirming the Nietes title defense against Raul Garcia, twin brother of Ramon  Garcia Hirales from whom Nietes won the title by a unanimous twelve round decision at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City on October 8, 2011.

Aldeguer told us that fight fans in Bacolod were clamoring for Nietes to return to his hometown of Murcia which is on the outskirts of Bacolod. He said “people wanted the fight after all the accomplishments of Donnie.”

If the fight doesn’t take place in Bacolod Aldeguer said the alternative would be the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu.

Aldeguer said Fernando Beltran said he had no objections to the proposal but hadn’t yet formally agreed since they also have to secure the approval of the World Boxing Organization president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel who had earlier directed Nietes to face Fuentes in a   mandatory title defense which would be their third fight after Nietes demolished Fuentes on May 10, 2014, dropping him three times in the 9th  round for a rousing knockout victory at
the Mall of Asia Arena along Manila Bay.

In suggesting that the Nietes-Fuentes mandatory be held in the US, Aldeguer was looking at a big fight with a wider American audience. However, he said if the proposal was disallowed by the WBC president, Nietes was ready to face Fuentes even in Mexico where he defended his minimum weight title successfully on several occasions against  Mexican opponents in their own hometowns.

The 32 year old southpaw Raul “Rayito” Garcia who is ranked No. 11 by the WBO  has a record of 36-3-1 with 22 knockouts. On June 14, 2008, he won the title from  Filipino IBF Minimumweight champion Florante Condes in  a somewhat controversial 12 round split decision after being dropped by Condes in the final round,  in Garcia’s hometown of La Paz, Mexico.

Garcia defended his IBF title four times. He lost the IBF mini flyweight title against South African Nkosinathi Joyi on 26 March 2010 by a unanimous decision.

After losing his IBF title, Garcia went on to win the WBO interim minimumweight title on October 30, 2010 by a split decision against Luis dela Rosa. He was scheduled to face Donnie Nietes on March 12, 2011 for the full championship, however, just two weeks prior to the fight date, Nietes announced that he would be vacating his world title and moving up in weight which resulted in “Rayito” Garcia being elevated to full champion.

On May 30, 2011, he successfully defended the title for the first time by third round TKO against Filipino Rommel Asenjo. Garcia and his brother Ramón made history that on this night when they became the first set of twin brothers to win world title fights on the same card.

http://www.boxingscene.com/donnie-nietes-vs-raul-garcia-agreement-getting-closer–101632

Kosei-Tanaka-vs-Saludar-jiji-press-getty Credit:  Photo by JIJI PRESS – Getty Images –

WBO strawweight titleholder Kosei Tanaka overcame a fifth-round knockdown to stop Filipino challenger Vic Saludar in round six at the Aichi Prefectural Gym in Nagoya, Japan, on New Year’s Eve.

The 25-year-old Saludar (11-2, 9 knockouts) was ahead by the tallies of 50-44 on two scorecards and 49-45 on the third, according to a copy of the cards posted on the Facebook page of Saludar’s promotional company, ALA Promotions.

That was all erased when Tanaka, THE RING’s No. 4 fighter at 105 pounds and an economics student at Chukyo University, dropped Saludar for the 10 count in round six with a left hook to the body. The time of stoppage was 2:15.

The win was the first defense of the WBO title which Tanaka (6-0, 3 KOs) won in May with a unanimous decision over Julian Yedras. Tanaka, 20, told RING earlier this week that he intended to move up in weight in the future.

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/407477-tanaka-rises-off-the-canvas-to-score-comeback-ko-over-saludar

donaire.on.mitts.151208.300w  By Ronnie Nathanielsz –

Newly crowned WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino” Flash Donaire will make the first defense of his WBO super bantamweight title at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Manila either on April 16 or 23.

Donaire had earlier indicated he was hoping his next title defense will be in Manila so he can repay the fans who have supported him especially after his gallant performance against Cesar Juarez of Mexico to win the WBO super bantamweight title for the second time around.

The New Standard/boxingmirror.com learned that the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN had come to terms with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who recently signed a three-fight deal with Donaire for 2016, Donaire, Asia’s leading promotional outfit, ALA Promotions and Donaire himself.

Arum had previously told us that Donaire would defend his title against Evgeny Gradovich, the former featherweight champion nicknamed the “Russian-Mexican” sometime in late April after the planned Manny Pacquiao fight on April 9 although Pacquiao has still to pick an opponent.

Donaire who arrived last week from Puerto Rico via Los Angeles with wife Rachel and their two sons, said they plan to stay in the country until February but if the title defense in Manila pushes through he will stay and train in the country until then.

Donaire told us at a luncheon hosted by Gabby Lopez, the top honcho of the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN, that Gradovich has been calling him out and although they are friends and he was a sparring partner when he prepared for the Wilfredo Vazquez Jr title fight, its all business and nothing personal.

He said Gradovich “is like Cesar Juarez. He keeps coming forward and throws a lot of punches even when retreating” but conceded that he doesn’t have too much power.

Donaire told the New Standard/boxingmirro.com that he just has to study tapes of his opponent and indicated that he didn’t have tapes of Juarez to study before the fight and couldn’t do it because the opponent from whom he won the WBO Intercontinental title was a southpaw.

Donaire said he will fight anybody they put in front of him and emphasized “I’m ready to train, ready to go.”

The WBO super bantamweight champion a second time around praised wife Rachel for his change in attitude and habits and his father/trainer “Dodong” Donaire for “doing an amazing job” both during training and during the fight itself but admitted he couldn’t implement all his instructions in-between rounds because of “the freak accident” when he was tripped by Puerto Rican referee, Pena.

He said there were times during the fight when he nailed Juarez with thunderous punches to the body and head and he seemingly fell unconscious for a second but then just as suddenly woke up making Nonito wonder how he did it.

Donaire was happy to have redeemed his reputation with the brutal “Fight of the Year’ candidate and welcomed the tremendous response he has received for his remarkable performance against a fighter of the caliber of Juarez.

Gradovich, a fleet-footed southpaw with quick hands and a fighter who throws a lot of punches even when back-pedaling won the featherweight title by a 9th round TKO after in a rematch with Australia’s Billy Dib on November 24, 2013 after winning the title via a twelve round split decision in March 1, 2013.

Despite putting on a game defense of his title on May 30 this year, Gradovich lost by an 8th round technical decision to Britain’s Lee Selby last October 24.

The Daily Mail of Britain reported that Selby”put on an exceptional performance at the O2 Arena but said that the manner in which the rough Gradovich was dethroned was not the natural conclusion that seemed inevitable”.

A deep cut from an accidental clash of heads did the damage in the seventh round and the referee called for the doctor a minute into the following round and after a quick inspection of Gradovich’s right eye the fight was waved off.

The Daily Mail said “that was unfortunate but in going to the scorecards it revealed the narrow facts of Selby’s brilliance. Two judges gave Selby who is referred to as “The Welsh Mayweather” a six round margin and a third judge gave Selby all eight rounds.”

The report said considering the fight was “against a big-punching Russian in his fifth title defense the performance was quite exceptional, a master-class of dancing feet and quick hands” and pointed out that “everytime Gradovich surged, he seemed to be tagged by a disappearing man.”

http://philboxing.com/news/story-114894.html

Date:  Saturday – October 17, 2015

WBO JR. FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location: StubHub Center, Carson, California, USA

Promoter:  ALA Promotions / Michael D. Aldeguer

Supervisor:  Richard De Cuir

Referee:  Raul Caiz Jr.,

Judges:  Lou Moret (120-108); Pat Russell (119-109); Marshall Walker (119-109)

Results:  The Champion Donnie Nietes retained his WBO Junior Flyweight title against Juan Alejo by Unanimous Decision (120-108, 119-109, 119-109).

TV:

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BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Many boxing enthusiasts don’t really appreciate the boxing style of Donnie ‘Ahas’ Nietes – the defending WBO junior lightweight king, Ring Magazine titlist, and longest reining Filipino champion.

But, Nietes is a distinct fighter. He is a technical boxer and not the usual slugger which everyone, particularly, Filipino followers wanted to see.

He might be a so-called boring fighter to watch inside the ring however, his fighting style made him different from the rest.

At first, I wasn’t also impressed with how he fought since I’m used to watch the like of Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez, among the few. He seldom throw barrage of punches but, his shots are accurate.

But, after watching several of his fights, I realized that he won’t stay in this business if he offers similar stuff with other boxers in his division.

And, recognizing Nietes’ contribution in the world of boxing, the WBO headed by Puerto Rican Francisco Paco Varcarcel has leveled the Negrense champion as among the world’s boxing greats along with Filipino icon and Sarangani Rep. Pacquiao, Britain’s Joe Calzaghe and Mexican legends Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, and Oscar de la Hoya.

And to honor the Filipino, WBO President Varcarcel gave Nietes a WBO diamond-encrusted ring in the presence of ALA Promotions President Aldeguer and WBO Vice-President for Asia Pacific Leon Panoncillo Jr.

For Nietes’ dad, Josue, his son’s successful title defense has continuously inspires not only the up and coming boxers in their hometown but, also in the country.

The elder Nietes said that many of these young boxers are also looking up to him as their role-model.(WATCHMEN DAILY JOURNAL)

http://philboxing.com/news/story-110433.html

FullSizeRender Donnie Nietes. Photo by Roy Luarca/INQUIRER –

IT WAS no ordinary boxing bout Donnie Nietes won in retaining his WBO junior flyweight crown in Cebu City on Saturday.

When he got tagged with a hard shot to the head in the 10th round, Nietes tarried and took a deep breath. He appeared on the verge of exhaustion.

How he moved back into the fray, to gamble on an injured hand in the 11th before dominating the 12th round, is the story of a quiet and unassuming Filipino champion gallantly retaining the Philippines’ lone remaining world boxing crown.

Michael Aldeguer, top man at ALA Promotions, said on the eve of the championship bout that expectations were bound to be surpassed, going by the quality of the competition.

After the tight tactical battle, which saw leads shifting sharply, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that they ended up serving what could qualify as a superfight.

The bout could have gone either way until Nietes, who injured his right hand in the sixth round, put up a masterful display of sharpness, courage and composure.

* * *

Of course, the fight did not bring with it monumental purses. That could be a prerequisite for a bout that comes to be called a candidate superbout.

It was, however, rich in great exchanges, full of suspense, a real thriller.

What it lacked in dollar decimals, it more than made up in memorable combat.

* * *

Losing mandatory challenger Francisco Rodriguez, his nose busted and bleeding, predictably protested and cried he should have gotten the decision.

Filipino cycling legend Jesus Garcia Jr., a Nietes die-hard, believed a rematch could prove similarly thrilling.

He, however, laughed off the scores of the second and third judges who gave Nietes final leads of 10 and eight points,  thereby making it appear there was a mismatch. Garcia claimed the 115-113 score submitted by the first judge was apt.

* * *

For the record, the taller, ever-charging Rodriguez gave Nietes some tough time with his swarming offensive.

It was just too bad that, unlike Nietes, he lacked necessary defensive skills.

By the way, there was WBO president Paco Valcarcel presiding gleefully over the awarding of belts.

He sure was never remiss in claiming before the championship that Nietes, who always comes out to fight, is a future Hall-of-Famer.

http://sports.inquirer.net/186867/donnie-nietes-wins-a-superfight

Date:  Saturday – March 28, 2015

WBO JR. FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location:   Araneta Coliseum, Barangay Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Promoter:    ALA Promotions / Michael D. Aldeguer

Supervisor:  Leon Panoncillo, Jr.

Referee:   Jack Reiss

Judges:   Takeo Harada (JPN), William Lerch (OH),  Max DeLuca (CA)

Results:   Nietes won a twelve rounds bout over Gilberto Parra after he retired in the ninth round on Mar. 28, 2015.

TV:  

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Credit:  Photo by Archie Alipalo –

By Ronnie Nathanielsz –

There’s been another change in the opponent of WBO light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino world champion who is scheduled to defend his title at the classy Mall of Asia Arena on March 28 in a blockbuster card that will also feature the comeback fight of five division champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire.

While Nietes was preparing to defend his title against Mexico’s Luis Ceja, the WBO Championship Committee chairman Luis Batista Salas on January 29 informed ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer and Zanfer Promotions Fernando Beltran that Nietes had to face mandatory challenger Francisco Rodriguez Jr also of Mexico.

The WBO official notified both parties that they were given 30 days to negotiate an agreement and if they failed to do so a Purse Bid would be called within ten days.

Aldeguer consulted Nietes and his team and said they were willing to face Rodriguez although he suggested that Nietes be allowed to fight Ceja as originally planned on March 28 and face Rodriguez in July.

On Monday, Aldeguer learned that Rodriguez “wasn’t ready to fight on March 28” and that Nietes will now defend his title against Gilberto Parra who is ranked No. 13 and Nietes will fight Rodriguez in a mandatory title defense on July 4.

Aldeguer informed the Manila Standard/Viva Sports “we have not signed the contract as yet but hopefully we should get it done by tomorrow (Wednesday).”

The merry-go-round once again highlights the difficulty Filipino promoters have in dealing with Zanfer while it also raises the question as to why the WBO insisted on a mandatory title defense when the challenger was not ready.

Parra has an impressive record of 17 knockouts in 19 wins with one of his losses suffered at the hands of Martin Tecuapetla who scored a lopsided ten round decision on November 2, 2013.

Tecuaptela is the same fighter who dropped a ten round majority decision against Milan Melindo in a clash for the WBO International title on May 10, 2014.

In his last fight on February 14 this year, Parra was cut on his left eye in the 2nd round of a scheduled ten round bout against Maximino Flores with the bout declared a “no contest.”

http://philboxing.com/news/story-104423.html

Date:  Saturday, November 15, 2014

WBO  JR. FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location:  Cebu City Waterfront Hotel & Casino, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, Phillipines

Promoter:   ALA Promotions / Michael D. Aldeguer

Supervisor:   Leon Panoncillo

Referee:   Robert Byrd

Judges:  Rose M. Lacend; Salven Lugumbay; Masakazu Murase

Results:   The WBO Jr. Flyweight Champion Donnie Nietes successfully defended the title stopping Carlos Velarde  by KO in the seventh round.

TV:  Phillipines ABS-CBN Channel 2

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By Dong Secuya –

DUBAI, UAE – ALA mainstays Genesis ‘Azukal’ Servania, ‘King’ Arthur Villanueva and comebacking Rey ‘Boom-Boom’ Bautista came face to face with their Latino opponents Thursday afternoon during the press conference and official weighin of ‘Pinoy Pride XXVII’ held at Rocky’s Cafe at the Regent Hotel Palace here, the first international roadshow of the highly successful Pinoy Pride Series, a partnership of ALA Promotions and the Philippines’ largest TV network, ABS-CBN. The fights will be held tomorrow evening, Friday, at the Dubai World Trade Center.

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Servania (L) and Cabrera pose during the weighin.

Servania (24-0-0, 10KO) from Bacolod City, who will defend his WBO Inter-Continental super bantamweight title against Jose ‘Matador’ Cabrera (22-4-2, 10KO) of Mexico, promised to have an impressive win Friday night as he look forward to fight for a world title possibly next year. “We trained hard for this fight for three months and we are very positive for this fight,” Servania said. However, his opponent, Cabrera, had another plan and looked forward to have his hands raised after the battle. “I have all the experience I need to be able to beat Servania,” declared the articulate Cabrera who fought the likes of Omar Narvaez and Tomas Rojas. 

Servania weighed in at 121.4 lbs while Cabrera tipped the scales at 122 lbs, the superbantam weight limit. 

Appearing as a co-feature is Villanueva (25-0-0, 14KO), also from Bacolod City, who will face Henry ‘El Crespo’ Maldonado (19-3-0, 14KO) of Nicaragua for the IBF International junior bantamweight title. Villanueva who is highly rated by all four major boxing organizations, is quietly confident in facing Maldonado who had a difficult time getting the weight limit. Villanueva weighed in at 114.6 lbs while Maldonado came in at 115.8 lbs on his first try but made the weight limit of 115 lbs after perspiring himself with the over 100 degrees farenheit Dubai heat outside of the hotel. 

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Villanueva and Maldonado.

The ever-popular ‘Boom-Boom’ Bautista (35-3-0, 25KO), meanwhile continues his comeback bid against dangerous Mexican banger Juan Jose ‘Piquet’ Martinez (19-1-0, 15KO) for a 10-round super featherweight non title bout. 

Martinez, who endured an 18-hour flight to reach Dubai, said he had great sparring coming in and expect to come out the winner on Friday. “I will go up in the ring with nothing else in mind but to come out the victor… and the winner of this fight is the public because they will see some awesome boxing,” Cabrera said. 

Bautista, for his part, said that he had reviewed Martinez’s fights and that Martinez fights like a bull. “I respect Mexican fighters,” Bautista said. “But come Friday night, the respect will no longer be there,” he added. 

Bautista came in at 129.4 lbs. While Martinez stepped the scales at 131.6 lbs.

 

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Bautista and Martinez

 

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer as well as ABS-CBN executives Peter Musngi, March Ventosa, Dino Laurena and Maribel Hernaez were proud but at the same time anxious to stage their first international show in Dubai. “This is something big for all of us,” Aldeguer said. This takes years of planning and finally it’s here. We’re looking for bigger shows next year,” Aldeguer said who mentioned putting up shows, aside from Dubai, also in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and of course in California where ALA Promotions had already been licensed. 

“The experience is like delivering a child,” Musngi, ABS-CBN’s Vice-President, Intergrated Sports Division, said, when asked how he feels about he feels about their first big international project. “You get excited but anxious.” 

On the eve of ‘Pinoy Pride XXVII’ however, all indications point to the successful staging of the event as tickets have almost sold out. 

Spicing out the night on the undercard are local based boxers headed by Larry Abarra, a Filipino who fights out of the Round 10 Boxing Club of Dubai, will face Chatpayak Nuengkawkawhok of Thailand in a four round superbantamweight bout. Abarra came in at 121.8 lbs while Nuengkawkawhok weighed in at 120.6 lbs. 

Kizito Deo of Uganda will be pitted against Anusher Abdullaev of Uzbekistan in a four round welterweight clash. Kizito weighed in at 142 lbs while Abdullaev stepped the scales at 147 lbs. 

Junior welterweights Mohammad Akram of Syria and Thailand’s Kong Windy Sports will fight in another four rounder. Akram is also based in Dubai’s Round 10 Boxing Club. Akram weighed in at 140.6 lbs Kong Windy came in at 140.6 lbs.

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L-R: TFC Regional Marketing Head for Middle East and Europe Maribel Hernaez, ABS-CBN Vice President for Sports Peter Musngi, ALA Promotions President Michael Aldeguer, ABS-CBN Head of Management March Ventosa and ABS-CBN Head of Intergrated Sports Dino Laurena.

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WBO Vice President Leon Panoncillo (R, above photo) will supervise the main event fight between Servania and Cabrera for the WBO Inter-Continental super bantamweight title while IBF’s Onesmo Ngowi will supervise the fight between Arthur Villanueva and Henry Maldonado for IBF International junior bantamweight title. 

The first fight will start at 7:00 p.m. Friday night at the Dubai World Trade Center and will be broadcast live in the Philippines by pay per view and will replayed by ABS-CBN Saturday night.

http://philboxing.com/news/story-98578.html

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Fight fans can get a glimpse into the first major promotion outside the Philippines of the famed ALA Promotions as they team up with the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN and its widely watched global network TFC or The Filipino Channel when Viva Sports features the “Duel in Dubai” on its top-rated weekly boxing show “The Main Event” on PBO over Sky Cable at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday with a replay at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The fight card features three of ALA Gym’s most exciting fighters led by nundefeated WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight champion Genesis “Azukal” Servania, charismatic junior lightweight Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista hot on the comeback trail and undefeated King Arthur Villanueva against tough and tested opponents from Mexico and Nicaragua, known hotbeds of boxing in Latin America.

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said the “Duel in Dubai” promises to be a deadly battle that is expected to thrill the large community of Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates.

The special will feature brief interviews with the ALA fighters, short training clips and highlights of some of their fights and those of their opponents.

Servania’s opponent Jose “Matador” Cabrera has fought some of the big names including WBO super flyweight champion Omar Andres Narvaez and WBC champion Tomas Rojas.

Highlights of the Cabrera-Narvaez fight and the WBO super flyweight clash between Cabrera and unbeaten Daniel “Bad Boy” Rosas which ended in a split draw will highlight the special which will also include glimpses of Servania’s fights against former WBA super flyweight champion Alexander Munoz and his 2nd round TKO of Rafael “El Torito” Concepcion of Panama.

Bautista faces one of the toughest opponents in his comeback bid in the person of WBC Mundo Hispano champion Jose Juan “Piquet” Martinez who has an awesome record of 15 knockouts in 19 wins with only one defeat.

Fight fans will get to see highlights of Martinez’ thrilling battle with Carlos “Torito” Jimenz and Nicaragua’s WBO Fedbol super flyweight champion Henry “El Crespo” Maldonado in action against Fernando Aguilar and Liborio Solis.

Short training footage of Maldonado who clashes with King Arthur Villanueva will also spice up the special.

The fights will be telecast by ABS-CBN on Saturday, September 6.

http://philboxing.com/news/story-98376.html

Date:  Saturday, May 10, 2014

WBO Jr. Flyweight Championship Title Bout

Location:  SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Phillipines

Promoter:  ALA Promotions

Supervisor:  Leon Panoncillo, Jr.

Referee:   Robert  Byrd

Judges:  Waleska Roldan;  Robert  Hoyle;  Fernando  Laguna

Result:   The  Champion Donnie  Nietes retains the WBO Junior Flyweight Title over Moises Fuentes by KO in the 9th round.

MOY

By Ronnie Nathanielsz –

Mexico’s mandatory challenger for the WBO light flyweight title of Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, Moises Fuentes, arrived yesterday a full ten days before his scheduled rematch which promises to be an all-out war.

Fuentes who arrived with trainer Julio Barrera, brother of Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera looked “really good, ripped and ready” according to ALA Promotions vice president Dennis Canete.

Fuentes and his supporters including Marco Antonio Barrera in whose gym he trains, expressed their displeasure over the majority draw that enabled Nietes to retain his title in their first clash and have vowed to avenge that setback in which American judges Adalaide Byrd and Pat Russel scored the fight a 114-114 draw while Filipino judge Danrex Tapdasan whose assignment the Fuentes camp initially objected to, had Nietes the winner 115-113.

Nietes himself was not satisfied with the decision and is determined to erase any doubts as to who is indeed the champion.

He has trained harder than ever before for the much-awaited showdown at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 10 and has vowed not to make the same mistakes he made in their first fight by getting drawn into a brawl with Fuentes who likes to drive his opponent against the ropes and throw flurries  to the body and head.

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard that if Nietes only sticks to the gameplan he should have no trouble overcoming the challenge of Fuentes.

Nietes who is chasing the record of the late Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who reigned as world junior lightweight champion for nearly seven-and-a-half- years trained in the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles and also in San Diego and sparred with hard-hitting former world champion Giovanni Segura and American Matthew Villanueva.

Fuentes who has a record of 19-1-1 with 10 knockouts has won three bouts in a row since the Nietes title fight, scoring TKO victories over Luis De La Rosa who lost badly to IBF champion Johnreil Casimero and Omar Salado.

Nietes, on the other hand, is coming off a spectacular 3rd round TKO over former WBC Silver champion Sammy Gutierrez last November in a fight when Nietes dropped Gutierrez three times, twice in the opening round.

The “Pinoy Pride XXV” fight  card will be telecast by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN WITH 2012 “Fighter of the Year” Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire joining Atty. Ed Tolentino and this reporter on the television panel.

http://www.boxingscene.com/fuentes-arrives-early-determined-defeat-nietes–77285

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By Ronnie Nathanielsz –

WBO light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, who clashes in a mandatory rematch against Mexico’s Moises Fuentes at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 10 has looked impressive in training.

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard  “Donnie is ready for this chance. It’s the biggest fight out there for Donnie. It will be a tough fight. I’ve never seen him work so hard – he trained in the US has a great conditioning coach now in Nick Curson and he’s ready to go.”

Aldeguer said Nietes who is chasing the record of the late junior lightweight champion Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who reigned as champion for almost seven-and-a-half years “ is really right up  there. This is a fight that is going to be defining is career. We are happy to bring it to the Philippines.”

He said Nietes “has to stick to the game plan. He has a good right – picks his punches” but was carried away in his first encounter with Fuentes when he “got into a brawl which is not his fight.”

Aldeguer disclosed that right now his trainers as well as Nietes  “are reviewing the tapes and looking at what he did right and what he did wrong”. He believes Nietes “has matured a lot. He knows that to make history this is the fight. If he wants to break the record of Flash Elorde this is the fight that will define him and his career.”

Nietes showed he had power when he dropped former WBC Silver champion Sammy Gutierrez three times en route to a 3rd round TKO at the  famed Araneta Coliseum and showed he has power.

Aldeguer noted that “early in his career Donnie was one of the biggest punchers we had in the stable and he then became a very calculating fighter. He knew how to win and became comfortable with that.”

Nietes understands that against Fuentes “ that he needs a convincing win and needs to dominate Fuentes and do the right things and I think he’s learned a lot. He is ready to go and it’s a fight for his life. And I think it wont be an easy fight  but I think it will define what Donnie really is.”

Aldeguer believes that if he followed the game plan in their first fight “he would have won easily. There is no question why he will not win” in the rematch.

http://www.boxingscene.com/nietes-aims-convincing-win-fuentes-rematch–77034

spo2di

DONNIE ‘Ahas’ Nietes is leaving nothing to chance in his rematch against Moises Fuentes for the World Boxing Organization light-flyweight title on May 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The reigning champion is aware the majority 12-round draw he eked out in his first meeting with the Mexican a year ago at the Waterfront Hotel and Resort in Cebu left a bad taste in the mouth, so much so that he vows to go for a knockout if given the chance.

“Ina-knockout ko siya ‘pag may time,” said the two-time world champion in Tuesday’s session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s Malate. “‘Pag may chance, patutumbahin ko siya.”

Proof that he’s preparing hard against the 28-year-old challenger from Mexico City, Nietes spent the early part of his training in the US, where he sparred with the likes of former world champion Giovanni Segura and American Matthew Villanueva.

Now back in the country, the pride of Murcia, Negros Occidental will complete the second part of his training in Cebu.

“Grabe ang paghahandang ginagawa namin ngayon, kaya kumpiyansa akong mapapanatili ko ang korona,” said Nietes (32-1-4, 18 KOs), who will be turning 32 three days after the fight.

But ALA Promotions vice president Dennis Canete, who was also a guest in the forum presented by Shakey’s, Accel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, was quick to add the mandatory title defense of Nietes won’t come in handy.

“Every rematch is dangerous,” Canete admitted. “Siyempre, na-gauge ka na nu’ng opponent mo and Moises Fuentes is a great fighter. So it’s going to be tough.”

A former WBO minimumweight title holder who fought and won against the likes of Ivan Calderon and Raul Garcia, Fuentes (19-1-1, 10 KOs) is a on a three-fight winning streak since facing Nietes, including technical knockout victories in his last two matches against Luis De la Rosa and Omar Salado.

Nietes on the other hand, is fresh from a sensational third-round technical knockout of Sammy Gutierrez last November at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

At the same time, the heartbreaking 10th round loss suffered by stablemate Merlito Sabillo to Francisco Rodriguez of Mexico to yield his WBO 105-lbs. crown over the weekend, also serves as added motivation to Nietes in his fight against Fuentes.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/03/26/nietes-promises-to-ko-fuentes-in-opportunity-arises/