AFTER a long wait, boxing champ Donnie Nietes is about to get his due.
The reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) light-flyweight king headlines ALA Promotions’ maiden US sojourn set in Carson, California on Oct. 17.
No opponent has yet been named for the longest reigning Filipino world champion, but the 12-round fight that serves as the main event of ‘Pinoy Pride 33’ is expected to finally establish the pride of Murcia, Negros Occidental as a major elite fighter before the rich US boxing market.
A two-time world champion who’s been lording over as the WBO title holder at 108 pounds for four years now, , the 33-year-old Nietes (36-1-4, 21 KOs) has yet to see action before discriminating American fight fans, although he already fought three times in Mexico.
The last of that series of Mexico bouts came in 2010 when he successfully retained his WBO minimumweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision against Mario Rodriguez.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer initially planned to have Nietes defend his title before Bacolod fight fans in November.
But the plan had to be shelved as the Cebu-based boxing outfit is leaving nothing to chance in its first ever promotional card in the US.
“We can do the Bacolod fight in March next year,” Aldeguer said to Abac Cordero of the Philippine Star.
Nietes saw action just last month when he scored a unanimous decision against Francisco Rodriguez of Mexico in their title fight held at the Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino.
Promising boxers in the rich ALA stable are expected to be included in the undercard of the US promotion, among them are brothers Albert and Jason Pagara, and Mark Magsayo.
The Pagaras bannered the successful staging of ‘Pinoy Pride 32’ at the World Trade Center in Dubai just last week.