NIETES ‘DI PUMAYAG SA REMATCH KAY PALICTE, WBO TITLE BINAKANTE

NAGPASYA si Filipino champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes na bakantehin ang kanyang WBO junior bantamweight title matapos tanggihan ang mandatory challenger na kapwa Pinoy na si Aston Palicte.

Si Nietes, na nagwagi ng titulo nang talunin si Kazuto Ioka ay nakasagupa si Palicte sa title eliminator noong Setyembre ay nalagay sa split draw. “After thinking hard about it for a long time, I have decided to vacate my WBO Super flyweight (junior bantamweight) belt, I feel in my heart that there is no point to do the rematch with Aston Palicte after the controversial draw,” ayon kay Nietes sa Philboxing.

Unang sinabi ni promoter Michael Aldeguer na mas deserve si Nietes sa malalaking pangalan sa kanyang division. Kabilang na sina Thai star WBC superfly champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, WBA superfly champion Khalid Yafai at dating champion Juan Franciso Estrada.

“He wants the big fights out there, that’s something that he needs right now. There’s nothing much more he can prove. He’s a 4-division champion and has accomplished a lot,” ayon kay Aldeguer. Aatras daw muna si Nietes upang bigyan si Palicte ng tsansa na maging world champion. (MC)