ARTICLE SERVICES            Reprint this article     Print this article       Send as an e-mail     Send Feedback       Post a comment       RELATED STORIES   From Olympic fatigue to Pacquiao mania Pacquiao-De la Hoya tiff still faces weighty issues Longest training for Pacquiao’s ‘greatest fight’ ‘I have to prepare hard’ -- Pacquiao Oscar vs Pacman on Dec 6 You have to kill me first to snatch my belt--Bautista Roach sets ‘sharpest fight plan’ $100-M fight: Pacquiao vs De La Hoya Final press conference set today Pinoy Everest team to sail to Madagascar Confident Pacquiao ready for de la Hoya Pagunsan takes aim at Volvo Masters What’s in a name? Ask ‘Chavit’ Singson Marquez still hungry for Pacman 3 AFP expects ‘Dream Match’ truce ‘Dream Match’ is dream come true DoJ blamed for delay in Taulava tax case Knicks most valuable NBA team--report More Stories » Sports Spoelstra first Filipino NBA head coach Sharpshooter vs dangerous bomber Pacman demands Golden Boy in top shape Pacquiao, De la Hoya reach Vegas Pacquiao hits Vegas; Roach confident DL Hoya looking good, says Ariza Pacman gives away P3M Leadership lessons from winning season $100-M fight: Pacquiao vs De La Hoya Pacquiao on the homestretch before fight Sports Sharpshooter vs dangerous bomber De La Hoya feels much quicker, stronger ‘Dream Match’ is dream come true After Dream Match, real winner: Hatton What’s in a name? Ask ‘Chavit’ Singson Marquez still hungry for Pacman 3 Confident Pacquiao ready for de la Hoya Dream Match will go 12 rounds–Dundee ‘I’m ready for King Kong’-- De La Hoya Pacman demands Golden Boy in top shape AFP expects ‘Dream Match’ truce Pacman, Oscar cross paths in morning jog   Sports Most Read RSS Hottest Tags Boxing WHAT'S THIS?                 More >>

CEBU CITY, Philippines — World Boxing Organization (WBO) minimum-weight champion Donnie Nietes defends his title for the first time this Saturday against Nicaraguan Eddy Castro in the co-main event of the “WBO Night of Champions” card at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.

The other main event will feature the hugely popular Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista defending his WBO Intercontinental super-bantam title against Mexican Eden Marquez in the other 12-round tiff.

“This will be an exciting card for the fans. We know the visiting fighters have prepared hard for this. But our Filipino fighters are ready just the same,” said the youthful Michael Aldeguer whose ALA Promotions is putting up the show.

Studio 23 will air the fights starting at 7:30 tonight, while ABS-CBN will air the replay tomorrow at 11 p.m.

WBO Asia Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo is supervising the championship bouts. Games and Amusements Board (GAB) commissioners Angel Bautista and Monju Guanzon are in town for the event.

Bautista (25-1, 18 KO’s) came in at exactly 122 lbs during official weigh-in Friday. Marquez (16-3-3, 12 KO’s) checked in at 121 lbs.

Bautista and Marquez then held a three-minute stare-down that had the big crowd chanting for a fight.

Nietes (22-1-3, 13 KO’s), defending his world crown after winning it over Thailand’s Pornsawan Kratingdaenggym last year, came in at a perfect 105 lbs. Castro (12-3-1, 9 KO’s) was at 103 lbs. Salven Lagumbay Contributor

• From Olympic fatigue to Pacquiao mania
• Pacquiao-De la Hoya tiff still faces weighty issues
• Longest training for Pacquiao’s ‘greatest fight’
• ‘I have to prepare hard’ -- Pacquiao
• Oscar vs Pacman on Dec 6
• You have to kill me first to snatch my belt--Bautista
• Roach sets ‘sharpest fight plan’
• $100-M fight: Pacquiao vs De La Hoya
• Final press conference set today

• Pinoy Everest team to sail to Madagascar
• Confident Pacquiao ready for de la Hoya
• Pagunsan takes aim at Volvo Masters
• What’s in a name? Ask ‘Chavit’ Singson
• Marquez still hungry for Pacman 3
• AFP expects ‘Dream Match’ truce
• ‘Dream Match’ is dream come true
• DoJ blamed for delay in Taulava tax case
• Knicks most valuable NBA team--report