By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Well known Panamanian boxing writer Carlos Costa says WBO light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes will have to be wary of Mexican challenger Felipe Salguero when he defends his title at the Resorts World Hotel in Manila on Saturday.
Costa who met Salguero and the real Genaro “Poblanito” Garcia on their arrival today told the Manila Standard that while Salguero “is young and hasn’t faced big opposition he is a hungry fighter with a warrior’s heart.”
He said Nietes, the two division world champion “will have to be careful” and warned him “never underestimate the power of a Mexican.”
The boxing writer and fight fan said that both Salguero and Garcia “looked good despite the long 30 hour flight from Mexico.”
Salguero told Costa “ I feel strong and this Saturday I want to be a world champion. It's going to be a great fight."
Veteran international referee Raul Caiz Dr earlier told the Manila Standard that the main event between Nietes and Salguero on “Pinoy Pride XIV” should be a “fantastic fight.” Caiz Sr has officiated Nietes fights in the past and described him as a “hard-hitting, clean very efficient boxer with lots of experience and heart.”
While the veteran referee said he hadn’t see Salguero fight he was confident that ALA Promotions “only makes the most competitive bouts for their fighters and their excellent fans so I expect a fantastic fight fitting for the occasion.”
Tipped to possibly steal the thunder from the main event is the clash between undefeated Filipino super bantamweight Genesis Servania and the vastly experienced “Poblanito” Garcia.
Garcia who is still seething from the fact that a fake, identified as “Panterito” Garcia misrepresented him and engaged Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista in a farcical bout before being stopped in the second round before some 40,000 boxing fans in Tagbilaran City, Bohol said "I am going to show fans who the real Genaro 'El Poblanito' Garcia is. I am the tough fighter who became the No. 1 bantamweight in the world and have battled five world champions. The 'Genaro Garcia' who came here before was a fourth class boxer who dived to the canvas at the first chance. “
Garcia said "My young Filipino opponent will not be able to handle my pressure. Young tough kids try. But they can't."
A joint effort of the famed ALA Promotions and the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN, “Pinoy Pride XIV” will be telecast on Sunday at 10:15 a.m. over Channel 2, the country’s pre-eminent TV channel.
