Nietes stops Garcia in 5 rounds to retain crown

Donnie Nietes after his fifth round TKO win. PHOTO BY ROY LUARCA

BACOLOD CITY—It was Donnie “Ahas” Nietes at his finest Saturday night, forcing Mexican Raul Garcia to quit on his stool after five rounds and retaining his World Boxing Organization light flyweight crown in the headliner of Pinoy Pride 36 at University of St. La Salle Coliseum here.

Living up to his promise to put up a sterling performance before his provincemates, Nietes proved to be too skillful and powerful for Garcia, who became the Filipino’s 15th Mexican victim, including his twin brother Ramon Garcia Hirales at the same venue in 2011.

Typifying his dominance, Nietes dropped Garcia twice in the third round, first with a left straight to the head followed by another left to the body. Garcia was up in no time only to be sent down anew with a right to the body by the pride of nearby Murcia town.

“I knew I had him from the first round,” said Nietes in Filipino. “I found no need to hurry up as his body is already hurting.

According to Nietes, the fight turned out to be just what he and trainer Edmund Villamor prepared for, finding his range and penetrating the Mexican’s defenses.

The 34-year-old Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino world champion at eight years, raised his record to 38-1-4 with 21 knockouts while pulling down Jimenez, the former International Boxing Federation and WBO minimum weight titlist, to 36-4-1, 22 KOs.

Unable to withstand Nietes’ barrage and pinpoint punches, Garcia did not answer the sixth round bell.

“I’m verry, very happy,” said Nietes, who thanked the capacity crowd that included his parents and townmates.

“King” Arthur Villanueva scored a freak fourth round knockout over Mexican Juan Jimenez to bag the WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight title in the chief support.

The two fighters’ heads collided in the fourth, hurting Villanueva and knocking Jimenez out cold.

Referee Dan Nietes counted the Mexican out at the 21-second mark as he lay unconscious at the canvas for over a minute. A towel was put to raise Jimenez’s head who was later given oxygen. The Mexican recovered his wits was able to leave the ring on his feet.

Villanueva, pride of Bago City, raised his record to 29-1 with 15 knockouts while Jimenez dropped to 22-10, 15 KOs.

It was an action-packed bout with Jimenez dropping Villanueva with a comibination capped by a right in the second round.

Infuriated, Villanueva retaliated by unleashing a solid right and knocking down Jimenez early in the third.

Milan Melindo won by technical unanimous decision over Mexican Maximino Flores in a bout halted by Referee Ber Abainza at the 54-second mark of the seventh round due to a deep cut sustained by the Filipino following an accidental clash of heads.

The three judges gave Melindo, who improved to 34-2 with 12 knockouts, the upperhand, 69-64, 68-65, 67-66. Flores, a late substitute, fell to 19-3, 13 KOs.

For coming in 4.75 pounds over the 110-pound limit in Friday’s weigh-in, however, Melindo will yield 20 percent of his purse to Flores.

Prime prospect Kevin Jake Cataraja stopped Thai Chatchai Or Benjamas with barely 14 seconds gone in the fourth round to notch his fourth straight win in as many bouts.

The 21-year-old Cataraja, a graduating crimininology student, also dropped the Thai (5-8) late in the third round.

Jonas “Zorro” Sultan caught Rommel Oliveros with a crackling counter hook in the fifth round to retain the Philippine super flyweight crown. The end came at the 2:13 mark.

In another brief encounter, Raul Yu landed a looping right to down local fighter Robert Ates 43 seconds into the second round.

Among those present to watch the fight card presented by ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports were Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia, ALA president and CEO Michael Aldeguer, ABS-CBN Sport’s Peter Musngi and Games and Amusement Board chair Ramon Guanzon.