Donnie Nietes wants to further bolster his ring legacy while Nonito Donaire Jr. seeks redemption in the featured bouts of Pinoy Pride 30 tonight at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Already the longest-reigning Filipino world champion, Nietes stakes his World Boxing Organization light flyweight crown against Mexican Gilberto Parra in the 12-round headliner.
Donaire tangles with Brazilian William Prado for the North American Boxing Federation title and needs an impressive victory to regain his place among the world’s elite fighters.
The five-division world champion’s illustrious career hit a snag after suffering a sixth-round knockout loss to Jamaican Nicholas Walters last year.
The 32-year-old Nietes, who predicted a knockout victory, and Parra both tipped the scales at an exact 108 pounds in yesterday’s weigh-in.
Parra promised to end Nietes’ domination of Mexican fighters, including three victims right in their homeland.
Donaire, acclaimed as Fighter of the Year in 2012, and Prado were also on the dot at 122 lb.
Prime prospect “Prince” Albert Pagara stakes his International Boxing Federation title against Mexican Rodolfo Hernandez in an expected slugfest.
The unbeaten Pagara (22-0 with 15 knockouts) checked in at 122 lb, while Hernandez weighed in at 121.
Japanese Ryo Akaho and Ghanaian Prosper Ankrah will clash for the WBO International bantamweight crown.
Akaho weighed 118 lb and will enjoy a five-pound edge over Ankrah in another bout of the event jointly undertaken by ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports.
Other bouts pit AJ “Bazooka” Banal (124 lb) against Indonesian Junior Bahawa (122), Joepher Montano (135) against Australian Tyson Maher (134), Jeson Umbal (118) against Eric Panza (118) and Ralph Lulu (124) against Gerry Patenio (122).