by Ronnie Nathanielsz

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer has flatly denied a report by Cebu-based Mexican Miguel Angel Lopez who claimed that Jorge Barrera, manager of WBO World  minimumweight champion Moises Fuentes, had told him a rematch with WBO World Light Flyweight Champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes will take place this July in Mexico.

Barrera is reported to have  said that Zanfer Promotions had given the go signal for the rematch and it will be held in Mexico. He also indicated that Team Fuentes “ will work on their new game plan as they have exposed the weaknesses of Nietes and also fine tune some parts of Fuentes that need improvement.”

However, Aldeguer told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard late Wednesday “that’s not true at all.” He added, “I don’t know why (Barrera) made an announcement.”

Aldeguer made it clear “we haven’t talked about any rematch.”

Nietes and Fuentes figured in a classic battle at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Ceby last March 2 with Nietes who was badly cut on his left eye retaining his title with a majority draw where American judges Adelaide Byrd and Pat Russell scored the fight a 114-114 draw while Filipino judge Danrex Tapdasan has Nietes the winner 115-113.

The Mexicans had objected to Tapdasan being a judge before the fight but were over-ruled by fight supervisor and WBO vice president for Asia and the Pacific, Leon Panoncillo.

Team Fuentes led by Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera criticized the majority draw decision and the scorecard of Tapdasan while claiming Fuentes should have been given the decision.

Lopez quoted Jorge Barrera as saying “they will request all neutral judges in the rematch fight and will want more than the $60,000 they were given in the last fight” even as he promised Fuentes will win by a knockout to end any controversy similar to Juan Mnuel Marquez’ KO of Manny Pacquiao last December 8 in Las Vegas.

Nietes who suffered two cuts in his successful title defense had a total of 12 stitches, five on the right eye where the cut was caused by a punch and seven on the left which was a nasty gash opened up by an accidental clash of heads.

Aldeguer told the Manila Standard after the fight that Nietes also had stitches on the inside which is now normal in such situations.

Aldeguer told us then that he hadn’t spoken to Nietes yet about the possibility of a rematch with  Fuentes after his handlers, manager Jorge Barrera and three time world champion Marco Antonio Barrera said they would demand a rematch from the WBO.

Lopez who helps out Hispanic fighters when they come to Cebu  quoted Barrera who said “I will make an immediate request with the WBO president “Paco” Valcarcel about this fight, that we want an immediate rematch. We are willing to come back here for the rematch but without a Filipino judge.”

Aldeguer told us he will “look at the possibilities of a bigger fight out there” for Nietes who has reigned as WBO minimum and WBO flyweight champion over the past six years and whose goal is to eclipse the record of the late, great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who retained his title  as world junior lightweight champion for almost seven-and-a-half years.