MEXICAN challenger Raul “Rayito” Garcia, who arrives on Monday night for his light flyweight title fight against the longest-reigning Filipino world champion Donnie Nietes at the St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City on May 28, hopes to end the reign of terror by “Mexican Destroyer.”
Nietes’ record against Mexican opponents is 14-0.
He had a majority draw against Moises Fuentes on March 2, 2013, which Nietes avenged with a rousing ninth-round knockout in a rematch, dropping Fuentes three times in the fateful round at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 10, 2014.
Garcia is the identical twin brother of Ramon Garcia Hirales from whom Nietes won the title in the same St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City on Oct. 8, 2011 with a lopsided decision on the scorecards of the judges, although the fight appeared closer than the scorecards of the two American judges indicated.
Carlos Ortiz Jr. scored it 117-111, while Lisa Giampa had it 118-110, with Filipino judge Danrex Tapdasan also scoring the fight for Nietes by a much closer 115-113 tally.
Among the victims of Nietes, who headlines the fight card titled “The Making of a Legend,” includes Francisco Rodriguez Jr., Moises Fuentes, Sammy Gutierrez, Gilberto Parra, Mario Rodriguez, Manuel Vargas, Carlos Velarde, Jesus Silvestre, Juan Alejo and “Rayito’s twin brother Ramon Garcia Hirales.
Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions said that Garcia, who won the IBF minimum weight title with a split decision over Filipino Florante Condes on June 14, 2008, is sure his fighter will surprise Nietes and end the Mexicans’ losing streak.
