Aldeguer rejects Fuentes’ demand

MANILA, Philippines - ALA Promotions chairman Tony Aldeguer said yesterday Mexican fighter Moises Fuentes has no right to demand a rematch with no Filipino judge if it is held in Manila or Cebu and insisted that defending WBO lightflyweight champion Donnie Nietes deserved to win by decision in their 12-round bout that ended in a majority draw at the Waterfront Hotel Pacific Ballroom in Lahug last weekend.

Mexican ring legend Marco Antonio Barrera, whose older brother Jorge is Fuentes’ registered manager, reportedly said he will agree to a return bout with Nietes in Manila or Cebu on condition no Filipino judge is assigned by WBO president Paco Valcarcel. Barrera’s Filipino friend Jeff de Guzman told The Star the Mexican hero thought Fuentes won by a margin of four rounds but accepted the verdict with a shrug, saying “that’s part of boxing.”

But Aldeguer was convinced Nietes did enough to win. “I’m not very pleased with the decision,” he said. “Yes, it was a close and tough fight but Donnie was never hurt while Fuentes was rocked a few times and obviously, Nietes threw the clearer and harder punches but admittedly, Fuentes threw more punches but missed a lot, too.”

Aldeguer pointed out that in the last two rounds which the three judges scored for Nietes, the Filipino showed his brilliance and guts. “Donnie displayed excellent footwork and skill which made Fuentes look bad,” he continued. “Boxing is a science and that’s what Nietes showed all night. I’d say that Nietes had a more scary win against (Ramon) Garcia in Bacolod.” Aldeguer referred to the fight in October 2011 when Nietes wrested the WBO lightflyweight crown from Garcia via a unanimous decision. In that bout, Filipino judge Danrex Tapdasan had it 115-113, New York’s Carlos Ortiz Jr. 117-111 and Las Vegas’ Lisa Giampa 118-110. Referee was Las Vegas’ Robert Byrd.

Last Saturday, Tapdasan scored it 115-113 for Nietes while Las Vegas’ Adalaide Byrd and San Diego’s Pat Russell both had it a draw, 114-all. Referee was Valencia, California’s Jack Reiss who ruled that in the sixth round, Nietes was cut on the left eyebrow by a headbutt and on the right eyebrow by a punch.

Nietes’ big moment came in the fifth when he faked Fuentes off-guard and landed a right straight that nearly toppled the Mexican. Fuentes anticipated a left-right combination when Nietes held back on his left and instead fired a right lead that found the Mexican’s jaw. Fuentes stumbled back into the ropes but stayed on his feet. Fuentes roared back in the sixth to bloody Nietes and accelerated his body attack to reverse the tide. With blood trickling from both cuts, Nietes fought defensively and went side-to-side as Fuentes desperately lunged at his elusive target with little success. In the last two rounds, Nietes used his experience to dart in and out, leaving Fuentes swinging into the air and unable to find the mark. While Fuentes was the more aggressive fighter, Nietes had the edge in ring generalship, defense and scoring the more telling blows.

Aldeguer said the Mexican camp has no business making demands on a possible rematch. “Nietes fought and defended his (WBO minimumweight) title three times in Mexico and we never complained (about the judges),” said Aldeguer. “In two of those three fights, a Mexican judge was assigned. When Filipino fighters fight in the US, Mexican-American judges are assigned and we never complain. That’s very unfair (for the Mexicans to make the demand of no Filipino judge in a possible rematch). Remember how (Z) Gorres lost in our own backyard and it was clearly a win for him?”

Nietes repulsed three Mexican challengers in Mexico without a Filipino judge in the panel of any fight. Against Erik Ramirez in Oaxaca in Feburary 2009, Mexican judge Victor Salomon scored it 116-109 for the Filipino. The other judges were New Jersey’s John Stewart and Puerto Rico’s Cesar Ramos who saw it for Nietes, 113-111 and 116-108. Against Mario Rodriguez in Sinaloa in August 2010, Mexican judge Alejandro Lopez Cid had it 118-110 for Nietes. The other judges were Florida’s Thomas Nardone and New Mexico’s Levi Martinez who scored it for the Filipino, 116-112 and 119-109.

In the Gorres fight, the neutral judges turned in a split decision for defending WBO superflyweight champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico in Cebu in 2007. Minnesota’s Dennis Nelson had it 115-111 for Gorres but Las Vegas’ Chuck Giampa saw it 114-112 and West Covina, California’s Raul Caiz Sr. 115-111, both for Montiel. It was a shock decision because Gorres appeared to control the fight most of the way and the hometown crowd was stunned.

Aldeguer’s son Michael, who is ALA Promotions president, said he’s keeping his options open for Nietes’ next fight. “We have not thought of a rematch yet but we’ll see what’s out there for Donnie in the coming months,” said Aldeguer. “It was a close fight, depending on how everyone sees it. I felt that Donnie deserved to win the fight regardless of who the judges were. The first five and the last three rounds were clearly won by Donnie. No question that Fuentes was the aggressor but he missed a lot of shots because Donnie was moving well and weaving like how a scientific, intelligent boxer should.”

Aldeguer pointed out that Nietes scored cleaner shots to the head.  â€œFuentes had good body shots at times but they weren’t totally hard and clean shots because Donnie moved well,” he added.