By Carlos Costa
WBO minimumweight (105 lbs) world champion Moisés Fuentes of México will climb up one weight class to challenge fellow champ Donnie "Ahas" Nietes of the Philippines for Niete's WBO junior flyweight (108 lbs) world title on March 2 in Manila, Philippines - informed the World Boxing Organization from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
"Yes, the title fight between world champions Donnie Nietes vs Moises Fuentes was approved and both camps have agreed to make it in early March the Philippines. Contracts will be sent to the head office of the World Boxing Organization," said the office of WBO president Paco Varcarcel, who during the past days was in a WBO official visit to Panama.
"We can comment that the fight will be on March 2," added WBO's Diana L. Meléndez from Puerto Rico.
Earlier reports have indicated that the bout might staged on another date. However, this world title rumble seems destined to take place on March 2 as the fight's promoter, Antonio L. Aldeguer, chairman of ALA Promotions, commented today:
"The title fight between Nietes and Fuentes is tentatively set on March 2, 2013."
"MOI" FUENTES, MOTIVATED YOUNG CHAMPION
The 27-year-old Moisés "Moi" Fuentes of Ciudad de México pummeled and knocked out Puerto Rican former champion Iván "Iron Boy" Calderón last October in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, likely ending the successful career of the veteran "Iron Boy," one of the most popular and durable lower division fighters to come out of Puerto Rico.
The victory over Calderon was Fuentes' second defense of the WBO Minimumweight (105 lbs) belt he won in a razor thin split decision over Mexican compatriot Raul García Hirales in August of 2011 in Guadalajara.
"Although we know that fighting Nietes will be difficult, we are confident that Moi can be crowned in the Philippines. If that wins happens, we'll decide which belt to stay with," said Fuente's manager Jorge Barrera, adding that Fuentes will arrive in the Philippines with the best preparation of his career.
By the end of February, Fuentes will travel to Manila with his professional team comprised of his brother Heriberto "Concha" Fuentes, manager Jorge Barrera Tapia, and trainer Aarón Domínguez.
"AHAS" NIETES, CRAFTY TALENTED VETERAN
In the other corner will be experienced two-division world champion Donnie Nietes (31-1-3, 17KO's), who has a tough test with Fuentes after a rather meaningless knockout victory over fifth class Thai fighter Danai Meendaeng (0-1, 0KO's) last November in Dumaguete, Philippines.
Prior to that, Nietes, 30, made the first defense of his WBO junior flyweight (108 lbs) title against young Mexican Felipe Salguero (16-4-1, 11KO'ds) of Toluca with an uneventful twelve round unanimous decision win in Manila.
Nietes has the distinction of being a two-division world champion produced by the successful stable of fighters of ALA Boxing - an outstanding circle of boxers that include Pagara, Domingo, Melindo, Banal, and Bautista - promising fighters who have captured regional Asian and Intercontinental titles.
Nietes, nicknamed "Ahas" (a Tagalog word that means "Snake") is currently preparing for the taller Fuentes at the cozy ALA training camp in Cebu, Philippines, a nature friendly pollution-free facility large enough to accommodate a mini zoo (with colorful birds, crocodile and snakes) - with its own running track, boxers' dorms, the ultimate in boxing equipment and a basketball court.
The champion's sweating sessions are under the supervision of experienced coaches Edito Villamor, 42, and younger brother Edmundo Villamor, 40, Davao-born former fighters and now the successful ALA Gym head trainers.
The Murcia native (a municipality 10 Km east of Bacolod City), now a Cebu resident, is guided in his boxing carrier by his long-time boss, the well-regarded Filipino-Spaniard philanthropist and boxing benefactor Antonio L. Aldeguer of ALA Boxing, the #1 boxing promotion company in the entire archipelago.