DONNIE Nietes, the longest-reigning Filipino world champion, who relinquished his light flyweight title and has moved up to flyweight to face former champion and No. 4-ranked Mexican Edgar Sosa, feels much stronger now, according to ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer.
Aldeguer, who was scheduled to leave for the US on Thursday night, told the Manila Standard that in the last two fights of Nietes, “he was having a hard time making the 108-pound limit. But now, he feels much stronger (fighting as a flyweight).”
“Nietes has shown that he has power but sometimes you don’t know (when a fighter moves up in weight),” said Aldeguer.
He said Nietes was better at 108 compared to 105, where he was also the world champion.
Nietes has been training really hard and according to Aldeguer.
“He is aiming to win the world title because he’s ranked No.1 by the WBO,” said Aldeguer.
WBA champion Juan Francisco Estrada has relinquished his WBA title, although there’s no word from the World Boxing Organization whether the Mexican champion, who won the title from Brian Viloria by a split decision in Macau, has also decided to quit as the WBO champion.
Nietes has trained really hard and is looking ripped and ready and is hoping to put on a big fight for the fans on Sept. 25 (Manila time) at the StubHub Center in Carson City, California.
Bantamweight King Arthur Villanueva, who has a record of 29-1 with 15 knockouts, battles Juan Jimenez of Mexico in a rematch, with the latter hoping to avenge his fourth-round knockout loss to Villanueva in fight card in Bacolod City last May 28, in which King Arthur won the vacant WBO Asia Pacific title.