THE WORDS came clear yet sportswriters were still surprised by what they heard from Donnie “Ahas” Nietes yesterday.
“I’ll knock him out,” said Nietes in Filipino, referring to Mexican Raul Garcia, who will try to wrest his World Boxing Organization light flyweight crown on May 28 at University of St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City.
Rarely, if ever, has the longest reigning Filipino world champion of all time spoken with conviction about stopping a foe.
Nietes, however, regards this Pinoy Pride 36 as special because he’ll virtually be fighting at home, being a native of nearby Murcia, Negros Occidental.
Nietes also wants to put an impressive showing as he’s scheduled to headline another joint undertaking of ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports on Sept. 24 in Carson City, California.
Lastly, Nietes wants to include Garcia among his Mexican victims, 14 thus far with Moises Fuentes beaten twice. Also on that list is Ramon Garcia Hirales, Raul’s twin brother from whom Nietes grabbed the 108-pound title at the same venue on Oct. 8, 2011.
The 33-year-old Nietes trained hard under the watch of Edmund Villamor since March and on Tuesday reached the apex of his preparations when he sparred for 12 rounds against three fellow ALA aces campaigning in the 112, 115 and 118-pound divisions.
“I’m now tapering down,” said Nietes, baring that his current weight hovers at 118 and 119 pounds.
Nietes said he’d studied tapes of Raul’s fights and found out that the twins are both southpaws and have similar fighting styles.
Incidentally, Raul and Ramon are recognized as the first twin brothers to win world titles on the same card on May 30, 2011.