Nietes next in line for WBO jr flyweight crown

Donnie "Ahas" Nietes won't be in the stands on Saturday to watch the 12-round match between Colombian Jesus Geles and Mexican Ramon Garcia Hirales in Mexico City but is expected to keenly watch the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior flyweight title bout.

Nietes (28-1-3, 16 knockouts) will be thousands of miles away in the Philippines preparing to face the winner of the bout. The 28-year-old former WBO mini flyweight champion of Bacolod City is looking to win a second title in as many divisions after climbing up the 108-pound weight limit. Michael Aldegeur, president of Nietes' Cebu-based promoter ALA Promotions, told GMA News that he met with WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel in Las Vegas last month to discuss the possibility of his ward challenging the winner. "Donnie is very excited for the chance to be fighting for a second division title," said Aldegeur via email. "It is every champion's dream to become a multi-division champion and we are very grateful and are looking forward to challenging the winner of the April 30 fight between Geles and Garcia Hirales." Nietes, who made four successful title defenses of his mini flyweight belt, relinquished the title and scored a first round KO of Armando Vazquez in his first bout as a junior flyweight contender on April 9 at the La Salle Coliseum. The Geles-Garcia Hirales fight is a rematch of a controversial bout in February where the former (12-1-1, 5 KOs) won a debatable split-decision in his home country over the favored visitor (15-2-1, 8 KOs). The bout was for the interim WBO junior flyweight crown, but Geles was elevated to full championship status when the reigning and acknowledged division title holder Giovanni Segura moved up to 112 pounds. Garcia Hirales won the interim title last July when he outpointed previously unbeaten Filipino Johnriel Casimero in Mexico by a split-decision. - 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. 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.