Nietes eager to take WBO title away from champ Hirales

Filipino challenger Donnie "Ahas" Nietes is determined to take the title away from Mexican champion Ramon Garcia Hirales in their scheduled 12-round bout for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) light flyweight crown on October 8 at the La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City. The 29-year-old Nietes, a former holder of the WBO minimumweight crown, said he has trained long and hard for the fight where he sparred a total 80 rounds so far. "I'm excited for this fight. We're preparing hard for it," said Nietes, who graced Tuesday's PSA Forum with his fellow boxers from the ALA Boxing stable. He added that he'll go for a knockout win against Hirales. "I just can't say what round but I will go for the knockout." The Nietes-Hirales fight, the ninth of the Pinoy Pride series, will be preceded by another Philippines-Mexico bout between Milan Melindo and Francisco Rosas on September 8 at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City. Nietes defended his world title four times before he moved up in weight. Mexicans Erik Ramirez Manuel Vargas and Mario Rodriguez tried but failed to dethrone him as the 105-pound champion. The Murcia, Negros Occidental pride carry a 28-1-3 record with 16 KOs into the fight while Garcia holds a ring record of 16-2-1 (nine KOs). ALA Boxing's Chad Canares said the two big events being presented by the Cebu-based boxing stable is a testament to the continued surge of boxing in the country. "The thrust here is to develop more local heroes," said Canares, who also brought with him fighters Milan Melindo, AJ Banal, Jayson Pagara, Genesis Servania and Arthur Villanueva to the forum. Melindo will take on Rosas of Mexico for the WBO Intercontinental flyweight title while Pagara tackles Rosbel Montoya, and Servania faces Gerson Guerrero in the Cebu fight card. "It's the first time we're bringing in three Mexicans for a single card," said Canares, adding that they're still shopping for Banal's opponent. Banal is scheduled to will fight in the undercard of the Nietes-Hirales title bout.. — JVP, GMA News