THE country’s longest-reigning world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) light-flyweight title against Mexican Raul Garcia in ALA Promotion’s “Pinoy Pride 36: A Legend in the Making” on May 28 at the Saint La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City.
Nietes, who holds a record 37 wins, one loss, with 23 knockouts (KOs), braces for a tough stance from the challenge, whose twin brother, Ramon, lost to the Filipino boxer in 2011 to keep the 108-pound division belt.
The 33-year-old fighting pride of Murcia, Negros Occidental, can punch his way for a showdown with WBO and World Boxing Association flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada if he wins convincingly in his assignment against Garcia (38-3-1, 23 KOs), which will be his ninth defense of his light-flyweight crown.
Also added to the stacked fight card are ALA’s Milan Melindo and King Arthur Villanueva.
Melindo (33-2, 12 KOs), who bowed to Estrada three years ago in his attempt to snatch the twin titles, will face Javier Mendoza (24-3-1,19 KOs) from Mexico for the second time after losing via technical decision for the International Boxing Federation light-flyweight belt in May 2015.
Villanueva (28-1, 14 KOs), on the other hand, will slug it out with Juan Jimenez (22-9, 15 KOs) in their super-flyweight bout.
In their last outings in Cebu last November, Melindo beat the previously unbeaten Victor Emmanuel Olivo, while Villanueva, also a Negrense, escaped the rough challenge presented by Victor Mendez, scoring a split decision.