By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO minimum weight champion Donnie "Ahas" Nietes will leave for Los Angeles along with world-rated super flyweight AJ "Bazooka" Banal on February 7 to train at the Wild Card gym of Freddie Roach prior to Nietes’ title defense against Mexico’s Erik Ramirez in Oaxaca, Mexico on February 28.
Respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer of the famed ALA Gym said that Nietes who has a record of 23-1-1 with 14 knockouts will be joined by Banal whose career is back on track after a smashing 4th round knockout victory over Indonesian champion Nouldy Manakane last Saturday in Tagbilaran City.
It was the promising southpaw’s first fight after his shocking 10th round KO loss in a WBA Interim title fight against Panama’s Rafael Concepcion last July. Aldeguer said he plans to match Banal against a Mexican opponent in his next fight in Cebu.
Right now the focus is on the soft-spoken Nietes who despite defending his title in his opponent’s hometown is confident he will win. A talented boxer with unusual power for his weight Nietes has reviewed tapes of Ramirez and along with coach Edmund Villamor has drawn up a fight plan to ensure victory.
Nietes has confidently predicted he would win by knockout over Ramirez who has a record of 25-5-1 with 19 knockouts even though the Mexican has won four of his last five fights by knockout. However, before his five-fight winning streak Ramirez lost to former contender Lorenzo Trejo in July 2007. Trejo had earlier lost by 4th round stoppage in a WBC title eliminator against Rodel Mayol who is among the top class fighters lined up to spar with Nietes at the Wild Card gym.
In his last fight Ramirez won the WBO Latino minimum weight title via unanimous decision over Jose Ortiz at Baja California Sur. Nietes on the other hand won the WBO title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Pornsawan Kratingdaenggym of Thailand on Sep. 30, 2007 at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City. Nietes retained his title with a second round knockout of Nicaragua’s Eddy Castro in August last year.
