Filipinos sweep Pinoy Pride 33; Nietes eyes ‘Chocolatito’

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

After extending his reign in the light flyweight division Sunday, Donnie  “Ahas” NIetes has pound for pound king Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez on his radar.

Showcasing his full arsenal, Nietes beat  Mexican Juan Alejo by lopsided unanimous decision to lead fellow ALA stalwarts Jason Pagara, Mark Magsayo and Jason Pagara to a sweep of their foreign opponents in Pinoy Pride 33: Philippines vs the World at StubHub Center in Carson, California.

While Nietes opted for the longer but safer route in his 11th defense of the World Boxing Organization 108-pound crown, the Pagara brothers and Magsayo took the short cut as the Filipinos impressed in their initial foray in the United States, boxing’s mainstream.

The older Jason, 23, disposed of Nicaraguan Santos Benavides at the 2:53 mark of Round 2 in their light welterweight tussle, while Albert, 21, needed six rounds to knock out Nicaraguan William Gonzalez and clinch the WBO International light featherweight title.

Jason knocked down Benavides three times in the second round.

Magsayo, 20, was even more impressive, destroying Mexican Yardley Suarez with a flurry of power punches, capped by a right uppercut, in two minutes flat to keep his International Boxing Federation Youth featherweight  crown.

The 33-year-old Nietes, who claimed Alejo as his 13th Mexican victim, is running out of worthy challengers in embellishing his legacy as the longest reigning Filipino world champion ever at over eight years.

Cunning and methodical, Nietes peppered Alejo with 1-2 combos from the opening bell, spiking it with straights, hooks and uppercuts that was reflected in the judges’ scorecards: 120-108, and 119-109 twice.

Even before Nietes’ 12-round bout with Alejo, ALA Sports Promotions International president and CEO Michael Aldeguer has announced that exploratory talks are being held with the camp of Gonzalez, who displayed fearsome form in stopping Fil-Am Brian Viloria in the ninth round of their flyweight title duel at Madison Square Garden in New York also Saturday.

According to Aldeguer, it’s a fight that both Nietes and Gonzalez want and one which (ALA) also envisions for their former janitor turned king of the gym.

Unscathed since 2004, Nietes raised his record to 37 wins, one loss, four draws with 21 knockouts while Alejo saw his 21-win run broken and dropped to 21-4, 13 KOs.

Picking his shots well, Nietes was right on target, particularly in the fourth, seventh and eighth rounds as he landed straights, right uppercuts, jabs and body shots, frustrating the challenger no end.

By the fifth round, Alejo was sporting a mouse below the right eye.

In the sixth round, Alejo sneaked in a right that opened a small cut over Nietes’ left eye, which, however, went untouched the rest of the bout.

Though Nietes was superior to Alejo, the pride of Murcia, Negros Occidental, must be in his sharpest best if he is to challenge Chocolatito, who’s naturally bigger and more powerful as can be gleaned from his 44-0 card with 38 KOs.

Having sparred with Viloria for two days at Wild Card Gym before Pinoy Pride 33 may have given Nietes an idea of what’s in store for him if they indeed wind up fighting each other next year.

Pitted against a 34-year-old power hitter, Albert readily trade bombs and proved that his left and right straights were more lethal and accurate in rising to 25-0 with 18 KOs.

William Gonzalez, who was wobbled by an overhand right and a left hook in the fifth round was counted out in the next following a 1-2 combination and a right straight by Albert. Gonzalez fell to 25-6, 23 KOs.

Actually, Albert had the Nicaraguan down with a right straight right in the first round. Overeager, Albert followed it up with a punch, prompting the referee to issue a warning and rule a “no knockdown.”

Projected to become a world-beater like Albert, Magsayo did not disappoint.

Wielding speed and power, Magsayo pummeled Suarez with crippling combinations capped by a crackling right uppercut right in the first round. Magsayo cruised to his 12th straight win, 10 by KO, against the erstwhile unbeaten Mexican, now 13-1.