Nietes seeks KO; Donaire rarin’ for a comeback

MANILA, Philippines - Donnie “Ahas” Nietes seeks to extend his WBO light flyweight reign while former five-division champion Nonito “The Flash” Donaire eyes a big comeback as they headline the blockbuster Pinoy Pride 30 fightcard on March 28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Nietes vows no less than a knockout as he primes up against Mexican challenger Gilberto “Parrita” Parra, looking to stretch his seven-year reign as the world junior lightweight champion.

“Of course, we want a knockout,” said the 32-year-old Nietes in yesterday’s press launch at the Gloria Maris in Gateway Mall in Quezon City.

Nietes fashioned out a seventh round knockout of Carlos Velarde in Pinoy Pride 29 at the Waterfront in Cebu last year to improve to 34-1-4 (win-loss-draw). He has also surpassed the record of the late boxing great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde as the longest reigning champion for seven years and three months.

But Parra, who owns a 19-2-0 record, including 17 knockouts, is out to stop the Filipino champion, guaranteeing a slam-bang action in the event which will also feature Donaire, who is out to bounce back from a harrowing sixth round knockout loss to Jamaican Nicholas Walters in Carson, California last year.

Donaire said the embarassing setback served as a learning experience.

“I learned a valuable lesson from the previous fight, learned the hard way, learned patience is a virtue for my style, learned to listen to my dad, learned to listen to my corner,” said Donaire, who was accompanied by his father, Nonito Sr., during the conference.

Donaire will be taking on Brazilian William Prado, who owns a 22-4-1 slate and who’ll be fighting here for the first time since knocking out American Raul Martinez in the fourth round, also at the Big Dome six years ago.