Nietes vows to deliver best performance ever

CEBU, Philippines — He’s a three-division titleholder who holds the record as the longest reigning Filipino world boxing champion.

A ‘Pinoy Pride Lifetime Achievement’ awardee, he once held the prestigious Ring Magazine belt and bears a diamond-encrusted WBO Super Champion’s ring.

Proud of his shining accomplishments in the fight arena, his fellow Negrenses immortalized his greatness by putting up a bronze monument of him at the municipal hall grounds of his hometown in Murcia, Negros Occidental.

Champion for a decade now, it seems that the best is yet to come for Donnie “Ahas’ Nietes.

This after the ALA Gym star vowed to deliver the greatest performance of his illustrious career when he defends his IBF flyweight throne against Argentina challenger Juan Carlos Reveco on February 24 (February 25 Phl time) at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

Just four days into the big day, the 35-year-old Nietes said he does not feel any pressure and that he is all pumped up for the bout he had long been waiting for.

“I felt no pressure at all. In fact, I’m very excited  because this is the kind of fight I’ve been waiting for,” said Nietes, who will make the first defense of the IBF 112-pound crown he snatched wigth a 12-round unanimous decision victory over Thai Komgritch Nantapetch on April 29 last year at the Waterfront-Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

What makes Nietes’ only second ring appearance on US soil more significant is that it marks for the first time that he will be showcasing his wares on an HBO live telecast.

And he doesn’t want to waste this golden chance.

“I will give the best performance of my career to win this fight,” said Nietes, who holds a 40-1-4 record spiked with 22KOs. Reveco sports a 39-3 slate packed with 19KOs.

The Nietes-Reveco duel will open the HBO telecast of the “Superfly 2” triple-header headlined by Thai Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (43-4-1, 39KOs), who will put his WBC super flyweight crown on the line against former world champion and mandatory challenger Juan Francisco Estrada (36-2, 25KOs).

Nietes is hard-pressed to come out victorious because it will surely open the door of brighter opportunities for him in the lucrative US boxing market.

For one, four-division world champion and former pound-for-pound king Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez of Nicaragua has expressed his desire to trade blows with Nietes for the vacant WBO super flyweight strap.

That is a duel Nietes will not back down.

“I don’t care who my opponent is. I’m happy that finally, he (Gonzalez) accepted my challenge. I’ve been calling out his name ever since.”

But before thinking of a showdown with Gonzalez, Nietes must take care first of his business against Reveco.

“I’m ready for that,” assured Nietes. (FREEMAN)