WBA 108-pound champ Gonzalez: Nietes is viable if he wins title

The manager of undefeated WBA junior flyweight champion Roman "El Chocolatito" Gonzalez says that a unification bout with Donnie Nietes could be "viable" if the former WBO minimumweight world champion handles his business on October 8 against reigning WBO 108-pound champ Ramon Garcia Hirales of Mexico. Nietes, who is challenging for his second world title against Garcia at the University of St. La Salle Gymnasium in his hometown of Bacolod City, Philippines, has a ring record of 28-1-3 (16 knockouts), while Gonzalez of Managua, Nicaragua has a record of 29-0 (24 KO). The two-division champ Gonzalez will make his American debut on October 1 against an opponent who has yet to be named. Among the options laid out by Gonzalez's manager Silvio Conrad are Omar Nino Romero, who holds victories over Pinoys Brian Viloria, Rodel Mayol and Juanito Rubillar. "Roman has seen Nietes fight on multiple occasions," said Conrad. "We have tons of videos of him. He is a good boxer. I like the kid." Conrad said that he previously spoke with Nietes' promoter, ALA Boxing, of a unification bout between the 29-year-old boxer and Gonzalez in 2009, but the fight never materialized due to financial reasons. "At that moment they were not interested," said Conrad. "Both fighters were starting their careers. The economics weren't there to do the fight in Nicaragua or Philippines. It could only have been done in Japan through Teiken Promotions, with whom we have a really close working relationship." When asked for his take on Gonzalez, Nietes' trainer Edito "Ala" Villamor said, "Gonzalez is a technical fighter, strong and tough boxer." A Nietes-Gonzalez match, Villamor added, would be "a good fight," but he feels his ward is the better boxer. Conrad doesn't expect Nietes to have any trouble defeating Garcia and taking the WBO title. "There is no doubt in our minds [Nietes] will knock out Ramon Garcia, or at the very least beat him up real bad. We have a very low opinion of Garcia, even though his promoter is a good friend of ours." Conrad says Gonzalez's top preference for unification is a clash with IBF title claimant Ulises Solis, followed by WBC champ Adrian Hernandez. Gasca 122, Ohashi 121.5 for Sunday's OPBF title clash in Japan Roli Gasca of Barili, Cebu weighed in just at the super bantamweight limit of 122 for his regional title opportunity against Japanese brawler Hiromasa Ohashi (121.5) Sunday night at the Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan. The 22-year-old Gasca (16-1, 3 KOs) is riding a five-fight win streak since a split-decision defeat last year, while the 31-year-old Ohashi (24-9-3, 15 KOs) has won 12 of his last 13 matches. "We are very confident to fight here in Japan," said Gasca's trainer Edito Villamor. "We know the Japanese fair and square." — JVP, GMA News Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and contributes to GMA News and the Filipino Reporter newspaper in New York City. He can be reached at ryan@ryansongalia.com. An archive of his work can be found at www.ryansongalia.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ryansongalia.