MANILA – Despite almost 27 months of inactivity, Negrense boxer Donnie “Ahas” Nietes clinched the World Boxing Organization (WBO) international super flyweight belt on Sunday at Caesars Palace Bluewaters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The Murcia, Negros Occidental-native Nietes had a clinical showing from the start to finish as he outclassed and outpointed Pablo Carrillo of Colombia, 96-95, 99-91, 98-92, to stretch his winning streak to 36 matches.
Nietes – a former four-division world boxing champion – was tentative to start the match with his occasional jabs and right hand punches. Carrillo became inactive with his punches in the first round.
In the second round, both fighters have the same tempo, but Nietes started to connect with his jabs to Carillo in the third round. The Columbian boxer did not respond to Nietes’ onslaught as he could not penetrate through the latter’s defense.
Nietes continued dominating the fourth round as he targeted his opponent’s body with right-hand attacks. Carillo attempted to throw hits but Nietes was a moving target to him. During the fifth round, Nietes unloaded more power shots as he connected with clean-right hand combination punches.
It was during the late-round that Carillo had his best shots as he landed a left hook to the Negrense fighter.
The Negrense boxer opened the sixth round by showering his Colombian foe with right-hand punches. He nearly finished off Carillo right then and there but misfired his left hook.
Carrillo was in a defensive mode almost the entire seventh, eighth, and ninth round but Nietes continued to connect with his long-range right hands and uppercuts.
The Colombian boxer sensed he was behind on the scorecards in the tenth and final round as he came out swinging as Nietes continues to circling and gave a left hook punch to his chin at the final bell.
With the victory, the 39-year-old Nietes improved his record 43-1-5 win-loss-draw, including 23 stoppage victories, while Carrillo saw his boxing slate dropped to 25-8-1, including 16 knockout wins./PN
