Nietes set for April ring return in Dubai

CEBU, Philippines —  After a two-year hiatus, four-division world champion Donnie "Ahas" Nietes is set for a long delayed ring comeback against a TBA (to be announced) opponent topbilling a fight card presented by D4G Promotions in association with Round 10 Boxing Club and MTK Global on April 3 at the Round 10 Boxing Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Nietes, who holds the record as the longest reigning Filipino world boxing champion, hasn't fought since eking out a split decision victory over Japanese Kazuto Ioka to seize the vacant WBO super flyweight title on December 31, 2018 at the Wynn Palace Cotai in Macau.

Just three months in his reign, the 38-year-old Nietes vacated his throne to pursue a lucrative showdown  with the other champions in the 115-pound division such as Nicaragua's Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez, Mexico's Juan Fracisco Estrada, and Thailand's Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.

Bigtime fights, however, were evasive on Nietes and worse, his plans were scuttled after ALA Boxing, which extraordinarily transformed him from being a janitor to one of the greatest Filipino boxers in history, closed shop for good in August last year because of the coronavirus pandemic and the closure of its longtime TV partner ABS-CBN.

It did not take long though for the pride of Murcia, Negros Occidental to find a new home in MTK Global, which now charts his career path as well as that of his former ALA stablemate 'Prince' Albert Pagara.

The world-rated Pagara, who defeated fellow countryman Virgil Puton by unanimous decision in his MTK debut on December 18 last year at the IPI Sports and Recreational Sports Complex in Mandaue City, will also be seeing action on the undercard of Nietes' highly anticipated return.

The Nietes headliner is the last of a trio of shows by D4G Promotions that will kick off on February 6 featuring Lee McGregor against defending champion Karim Guerfi for the European bantamweight belt, and Sean McComb versus Gavin Gwynne for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight crown.