Nietes halts Mexican foe; Pagara prevails

CEBU CITY—His mission done, Donnie “Ahas” Nietes has been tapped as headliner of a big fight card set in Macau next year.

The important foreign assignment was sealed after Nietes stopped Mexican Carlos Velarde in the seventh round to retain the World Boxing Organization junior flyweight crown in the mainer of Pinoy Pride XXVIII here Saturday night.

“Prince” Albert Pagara will be going with Nietes, who is set to surpass the great Flash Elorde’s seven-year, three-month reign as world junior lightweight champion on Jan. 1, 2015.

The crowd-favorite at Waterfront Cebu Coliseum, Pagara won by a lopsided unanimous decision over Mexican Raul Hilares to extend his win run to 22, including 15 knockouts, and remain the International Boxing Federation junior featherweight champion.

Michael Aldeguer, president and CEO of ALA Sports International Inc., said Nietes and Pagara were handpicked by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank for the Macau card.

Still getting stronger and better at 32, Nietes was pummeling Velarde with body blows when their heads accidentally collided in the seventh round.

Velarde, who also retreated to the ropes and got hammered in the sixth round, sustained a bloody gash on the left eyebrow and did not answer the bell for the eighth round.

Nietes, the pride of Murcia, Negros Occidental, picked up his 10th win against Mexicans and 34th overall, 20 by knockouts, against one loss and four draws.

Velarde fell to 26-41 with 14 knockouts.

“It was a little bit difficult at first,” said Nietes in Filipino. “But I was able to adjust (to Velarde’s infighting style).”

Nietes, a former janitor at ALA Gym who became world strawweight champion on Sept. 30, 2007 also in this city, intends to move up to 112 pounds to challenge either WBO champion Juan Francisco or World Boxing Council titlist Roman Gonzalez.

But Aldeguer said Nietes will still fight at108 in Macau. Nietes’ mettle at 112 will be put to a test in his second fight next year before he goes up against either Estrada or Gonzalez.

The 20-year-old Pagara, who won 120-107 in the card of two judges and 119-108 in the third,  opened  a cut on Hirales’ right eyelid and decked the game Mexican with combinations in the third round.

Though far from his best form, Milan Melindo did enough to beat Mexican Saul Suarez by unanimous decision, 116-112, 115-113, 118-111, in their IBF junior flyweight eliminator and climb to 32-1.

Late substitute Jomar Fajardo held world minimumweight champion Francisco Rodriguez Jr. to a split draw. Fajardo, who sneaked in a right straight to the nose that wobbled and bloodied the WBO and IBF titlist late in the third round, won on one judge, 96-94, but lost on the second, 92-98. The third judge saw the 10-rounder even, 95-95.

Earlier, Indonesian Faris Nenggo produced a major shocker when he beat former world minimuweight champion Merlito Sabillo via a fourth round technical knockout. The fight was halted as Sabillo (23-2-1) sustained a bloody cut on the right eyelid.

AJ Banal continued his climb back to prominence with a unanimous decision over Thai Maxsaisai Sithsaithong.

Hot prospect Mark Magsayo, 19, stopped Korean Jung Moon-sun 1:56 into the second round for his seventh knockout in nine straight wins.