While the boxing world’s focus is in Dubai for the Pinoy Pride 27, one world champion has been patiently waiting. Rumors have circulated that after the Middle East promotion this Friday, Donnie Nietes will return to Dubai to fight his title bout there.
“We have not announced it yet but you can write about it,” said ALA Promotions CEO/President Michael Aldeguer in our email exchange earlier this week. “Right now, we are thinking of holding it in the Philippines tentatively on Nov. 15 either in Manila, Cebu or Bacolod.”
So, there. It won’t be in America or in Dubai — but here at home. And rightfully so. “People from all walks of life have been asking me, ‘Why hold it abroad when this is a historic fight? When a lot of boxing fans and enthusiasts would want to witness Donnie break the seven-year reign of the great Flash Elorde?’”
Correct. As you know, Gabrial “Flash” Elorde, who hails from Bogo, Cebu and was the youngest of 15 children, holds the record of longest-reigning Filipino world champ. His Wikipedia entry reads: “He (Elorde) won the world super featherweight title on March 16, 1960 by knocking out the defending world champion Harold Gomes in seven rounds. That night, Elorde ended the country’s 20-year world championship drought. The crowd estimated to be around 30,000, inside the newly built Araneta Coliseum… He defended the crown 10 times until June 15, 1967 where he lost a majority decision to Yoshiaki Numata of Japan. This made him the longest reigning world junior lightweight champion ever (seven years and three months).”
Donnie Nietes? The 32-year-old former utility man of the ALA Gym, Nietes won the WBO Minimumweight title here at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug in Sept. 30, 2007. End of next month, it will be exactly seven years. En route, he’s won 11 more times and drawn once. If Donnie wins this November, Ahas breaks the record of Flash.
Manila, Cebu or Bacolod? “We are thinking of holding it in Manila because of the significance of the event,” said Aldeguer. “The huge venue (in Manila) will match the enormity of the bout and the impact to Philippine boxing.”
As for the home-court advantage here, added Aldeguer, “Cebu could be considered too because it is the Boxing Mecca of the Philippines and it is where Pinoy Pride, now the highest rating show on Sundays for the 15th straight time, was launched. We would also be proud to stage it in Cebu for the Cebuano Boxing fans and the media who helped us where we are now. After all, Cebu is where we truly started and took off. ALA Promotions and Pinoy Pride wouldn’t have achieved what we did and have now without everyone’s support.”
The City of Smiles is another possibility. “Donnie is from Murcia, Negros Occidental,” said Aldeguer, “what better way to mark this important moment in history than have it happen before the very crowd that has been loyally following the growth of their own boxing hero and where Champion Donnie Nietes started?”
