MANILA – Negrense fighters Donnie Nietes and Aston Palicte agreed to clash for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) world super flyweight championship belt on Aug. 18, 2018 in Cebu City.
Jason Soong, manager of the Bago City-native Palicte, is confident of his ward’s chances against the Murcia-native Nietes.
“We feel we have a strong chance of pulling off the win against Donnie,” Soong said in an online interview. “He has a good campaign the last few years so we like our chances.”
Roy Jones Jr. Promotions’ Guy Taylor, who handles the career of Palicte, said the boxer’s youth will be his advantage against Nietes who was once the longest reigning Filipino world champion.
“Donnie is the fight we’ve wanted ever since he was appointed as No. 1 contender,” said Taylor. “(Nietes is) definitely a legend in the Philippines and future Hall of Famer.”
“I just can’t see the 36-year-old Nietes holding off Aston for 12 rounds,” he added. “I’m wondering what Nietes’ reaction is going to be once he gets hit flush and feels that concussive power of Palicte.”
Nietes, who has a 41-1-4 win-loss-draw ring record with 23 stoppage wins, is coming from a successful defense of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) world title against Mexico’s Juan Carlos Reveco.
Palicte, who is parading a 24-2-0 win-loss-draw card with 20 knockout victories, was coming from a technical knockout defeat to Mexican Jose Alfredo Rodriguez for the NABF super flyweight title./PN
