Donnie Nietes faces Dominican Norbelto Jimenez for world title shot in Dubai

FILE – Philippines’ Donnie Nietes (L) poses 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’ bid to regain world champion status continues against Norbelto Jimenez of the Dominican Republic on December 11 at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

A win by Nietes (43-1-5, 23KOs) will make the four-division champion the mandatory challenger to one of the WBA super flyweight world titles, according to Boxing Scene.

Juan Francisco Estrada is the reigning WBA (Super) champion while Joshua Franco holds the regular version.

The 39-year-old Negros Occidental native returns in the ring seven months after putting on a boxing clinic in the unanimous decision win over Pablo Carillo of Colombia in Dubai for the vacant WBO International title.

Jimenez (30-9-5, 16KOs), who is nine years the junior of Nietes, fights after more than a year since he beat Nicaragua’s Marvin Solano on points.

He had challenged for the WBA title twice in the past—losing to Kohei Kono of Japan in 2014 and Khalid Yafai in 2019.

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The bout marks Nietes’ first since signing with Probellum last month.

The veteran is one of three Filipinos part of a stacked card that has WBO bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero as one of its headliners.

Jayson Mama, the other Filipino in the event, challenges Sunny Edwards for the IBF flyweight crown.