DONNIE Nietes and Aston Palicte are again ready to showcase before the world how good Filipino boxers are.
The two came face-to-face in the U.S. for the first time on Thursday, a month before their 12-round showdown for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-flyweight title at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
Both Nietes and Palicte vowed to give boxing fans a good show in the third meeting between two Filipinos with a major world title at stake.
“Wala talaga, yun ang nakatakda,” said Nietes (41-1-4, 23 KOs) of the rare occasion just four months after Jerwin Ancajas defeated countryman Jonas Sultan to retain his International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-flyweight crown in Fresno, California.
“Gagawin na lang namin yung trabaho natin na makapag-bigay ng pride at honor sa ating bansa,” added the 36-year-old, three-time world champion from Murcia, Negros Occidental.
Palicte (24-2, 20 KOs) joined Nietes and the other fighters seeing action in the ‘Superfly 3’ event set on September 8 and headlined by the all-Mexican encounter between former world champion Juan Francisco Estrada and Felipe Orucuta.
He expects fireworks in his first attempt at a world title.
“Malaking laban talaga ito para sa akin,” said the 27-year-old native of Bago, Negros Occidental.
“Sa ratings 1 and 2 kami, kaya hindi mawawala yan, parehas kaming boxer, e,” he said of another case of two Filipino fighters going up against each for a world championship.
“Ibig sabihin nito, dalawang Pinoy ang lumalaban,” added the former national team member. “Sports lang, walang personalan.”
Also present in the press conference were McWilliams Arroyo of Puerto Rico, Japanese Kazuto Ioka, former world pound-for-pound fighter Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzales, and promoter Tom Loeffler of 360 Promotions.
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