After successful defense and with Elorde's record in sight, Nietes to fight in Macau

In the fiercely competitive sport of boxing, winning a world title and retaining it for a lengthy period of time is a rarity.

The last Filipino to win a world title and hold on to it for seven years and three months was the late, great junior lightweight/super featherweight Hall of Famer Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who won the title from American Harold Gomes at the inauguration of the Araneta Coliseum on March 16, 1960 with a crushing seventh-round knockout.

Elorde lost the 130-pound title to young Japanese Toshiaki Numata on June 16, 1967 by a unanimous twelve-round decision despite dropping Numata in the third round.

When Donnie Nietes retained his World Boxing Organization light flyweight title at the Waterfront Resort Hotel and Casino in Cebu last November 15 with a TKO win over Mexican challenger Carlos Velarde, the Filipino from Murcia, Negros Oriental had reigned as champion for seven years, one month and fifteen days.

The difference was that while Elorde was champion in one weight division, Nietes had an unbeaten streak in two, first as WBO minimum weight champion and then WBO light flyweight champion.  

Nietes is a product of humble beginnings worked his way from being a mop boy who cleaned up the ALA Gym in Cebu to a long reigning world champion in an incredible story of dedication, hard work, commitment to the sport and deep down courage.

Not someone with the charisma of a Ray “Boom Boom” Bautista or a Z “The Dream” Gorres, Nietes earned his just recognition only this year after his smashing ninth-round knockout of mandatory challenger Moises Fuentes of Mexico in a much-awaited rematch following an extremely close first encounter that ended in a majority draw.

The vast improvement in terms of stamina, quickness and power between the first fight against Fuentes where Nietes appeared to fade in the last couple of rounds was largely attributed to American strength and conditioning coach Nick Curson with Nietes enduring the grueling plyometric routines without a whimper. It was a testament to the champion’s commitment to reach his goal of reigning as long as he could and of hopefully establishing a  new record for a Filipino fighter.

Nietes trained just as hard for his title defense against Velarde although the 24-year-old Mexican didn’t pose the same level of threat as the tough and talented Fuentes.

It was evident from the opening bell that Velarde appeared awed by the reputation if not the punching power of Nietes and tried desperately to implement a fight plan that would have him crowd Nietes and not allow him the distance needed to leverage his punches from the outside.

In the end this gameplan to crowd Nietes worked against Velarde who in the early part of round seven leaned into Nietes, resulting in an accidental clash of heads that opened up a nasty cut above the right eye of Velarde.

After ringside physician Dr. Jose Unabia examined the cut and told American referee Robert Byrd that Velarde was capable of continuing, Nietes used his vaunted jab and right straight to target the cut which was ripped open and bled profusely, hampering the vision of the challenger and forcing him to abandon what was clearly a hopeless effort and enabling Nietes to be declared winner by an eighth-round TKO.

The issue was settled at the official weigh-in on the eve of the title fight and Byrd was the third man in the ring and handled the bout with his customary fairness.

Yahoo Philippines was informed by Aldeguer the day after Nietes won that he would defend his 108-pound title on a Top Rank card at the plush Cotai Arena of the Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino in Macau on February 14 on a card that will also feature the 20-year-old rising star Prince Albert Pagara.

Fighting on the Nietes-Velarde undercard, Pagara essayed a masterful conquest of tough Raul Hirales by a 12-round unanimous decision, with two judges scoring a 120-107 shutout while Filipino judge Gil Co gave Hirales one round for a 119-108 card.  Pagara dropped Hirales with a solid combination capped by a strong right hand in round three after which the Mexican veteran went into survival mode.

While Nietes’ victory was not as spectacular as his demolition of Fuentes in their rematch, he looked far too good for Velarde.

With the win Nietes reached the threshold of surpassing Elorde’s record which has stood for 37 long years.

That record will change hands on January 1, 2015 which significantly comes on the eve of Elorde’s death on January 2, 1985.

It may well signify the passing of an all-time great and the emergence from the ashes of a worthy successor in Donnie Nietes.