MANILA – Days after clinching the WBO super flyweight championship, Negrense boxer Donnie Nietes is already thinking of who to face next for his defense.
The Murcia, Negros Occidental native said he wanted to battle the big names in the 115 pound division in Roman Gonzales, Juan Francisco Estrada and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.
“After winning the championship, I want to face the other big names in the super flyweight division. I want to fight to unify another belt,” Nietes said in an interview with Ring Magazine.
Nietes, who joined the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire Jr. as the only Filipino fighter to win four world titles in as many divisions, added that he is not closing his door on a possible rematch with a fellow Negrense Aston Palicte.
The Bago City, Negros Occidental native Palicte could earn a rematch with Nietes when the former scored a victory over Jose Martinez in a WBO super flyweight belt eliminator on Jan. 31.
Nietes and Palicte first faced each other for the WBO world super flyweight championship last September in California. The match ended in a controversial draw verdict.
The 36-year-old Nietes, who was once upon a time the longest reigning Filipino world boxing champion, has a 42-1-5 win-loss-draw ring record, including 23 knockouts, after his win over Japanese Kazuto Ioka on New Year’s Eve./PN
