Donnie Nietes, Japanese foe make weight ahead of super flyweight bout

Japan’s Kazuto Ioka (R) and Philippines’ Donnie Nietes (L) pose for photographs during the weigh-in for the ‘Lifetime Boxing Fights 1’ in Macau on December 30, 2018. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines—Donnie Nietes made weight for his second attempt at a fourth division title against Japan’s Kazuto Ioka on Monday in at Wynn Palace in Macau.

The longest running Filipino World champion weighed in at exactly 115 pounds, the limit for the super flyweight division, on Sunday while Ioka (23-1) was at 114.5 lbs, according to a report from Philboxing.com.

This will be Nietes’ (41-1-5) second crack at the WBO World super flyweight belt after his first attempt ended in a draw with fellow Filipino boxer Aston Palicte.

Nietes hasn’t lost a match in more than a decade with his last defeat coming at the hands of Angky Angkotta back in September of 2004.

That was a total run of 34 fights with four ending in draws.

Ioka’s (23-1) form is also of note with the 29-year-old Japanese boxer, who’s seven years the junior of Nietes, having compiled a nine-fight winning streak after his loss to Amnat Ruenrong for the IBF World flyweight title in May of 2014.