Nietes passes flyweight test, outpoints Sosa

MANILA, Philippines – For 12 rounds Sunday mornign, Donnie Nietes tested the waters in the flyweight class and came out with an impressive win over Edgar Sosa of Mexico at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

It was Nietes’ debut fight in the 112-pound division after holding on to world titles in the minimumweight (104 lbs) and light-flyweight (108 lbs) divisions for over eight years.

If Sosa, also a former world light-flyweight champion, posed as a serious test for Nietes in his new weight class, then the latter passed it with flying colors.

He said he was happy with his performance.

“Masaya ako (I’m happy),” Nietes told The STAR over the phone.

“I felt more comfortable inside the ring. I have no problem at 112 pounds. I did not go for the knockout as long as I get the impressive win,” he added.

“Magandang test sa akin naka-12 rounds ako sa loob (It was a good test for me going 12 rounds). Tinamaan din naman ako. Malakas si Sosa (I also got hit. Sosa is a strong fighter),” he added.

Nietes was so clinical he turned the fight into a one-sided affair even though he really didn’t come close to knocking his opponent out.

All three judges had Nietes winning in their scorecards, 112-108, and handed Nietes the WBO Inter-Continental flyweight title.

The 37-year-old Nietes vacated his WBO flyweight title last month so he could move up in weight and seek the bigger fights against world champions like Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico.

But Estrada had other things in mind as he moved up to 115 pounds, himself in search of the more lucrative fight with Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez of Nicaragua.

Nietes said Estrada and Gonzalez will remain in his radar as he tries to settle down in his new fighting class, where he hopes to win the world title.

If he is successful at 112 pounds, Nietes, now 39-1-4, will become a three-division world champion.

Nietes may end up fighting either Chinese star Zou Shiming Chinese star Zou Shiming or Thailand’s Kwanpichit Onesongchai next.

"Tingnan natin (Let's see). Lalaban muna ako dito sa flyweight," said Nietes.

Against Sosa, Nietes looked comfortable in his new weight class after weighing in at 112 pounds the other day. He said he was already struggling to make weight at 108.

Nietes maximized his time in the ring against Sosa (52-10-0), later on admitting that scoring a knockout was not his priority.

“I just wanted to test myself at 112 pounds,” he said.

In the main undercard, Mark Magsayo floored Ramiro Robles of Mexico twice, once in the second and seventh rounds, en route to a lopsided decision.

Magsayo improved to 15-0 while Robles, a last-minute substitute, fell to 13-6-1.