Questions answered, answers questioned

The main event of Saturday night’s “Pinoy Pride XXIII” re-established WBO light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes as one of the most fearsome fighters in the world. Ranked 69th among the top pound-for-pound fighter around the globe, the six-year champion had lost some of his luster in a controversial majority draw against Mexican Moises Fuentes in Cebu last March. This weighed heavily on Nietes’ mind as it raised concerns about his age, speed and power. These questions needed underscored answers. After all, Nietes was closing in on Flash Elorde’s record of seven years as world champion. Manny Pacquiao was likewise on track to eclipse Elorde after winning all his fights since the second clash with Erik Morales in November of 2006, until the unfortunate loss to Timothy Bradley in 2012.

Nietes, who suffered his only loss as a pro in 2004, was up against former WBA minimumweight champion Sammy “Guty” Gutierrez. Gutierrez, whose last fight was a third-round TKO loss to Raul Garcia in December of 2012, was fighting off some rust, but had defeated a few Filipinos on his way to the top. Though he was fighting off a year’s rust, he was known as a charger, and couldn’t be taken lightly. 

But Nietes would prove that rust does sleep, sending Gutierrez to the canvas twice in the first round, initially with a solid right that staggered him before a combination of an uppercut and left hook sent him sprawling, he was lucky to get past the first round. Halfway through the second round, Nietes rocked the challenger with a solid right and wobbled him again. Then, at the end of the third round, a series of powerful blows including a left jab, and a left and right hook floored Gutierrez. After the mandatory eight count, referee Celestino Riz mercifully waved off the fight with two seconds left in the round.

Nietes accomplished his mission, buoyed by the added motivation of the suffering his countrymen in the Visayas endured from supertyphoon Haiyan. All the ALA boxers had extra emotional fuel going into the card, having seen firsthand the enormity of the challenge of rebuilding the lives of people who had been blown over by the typhoon. ALA Promotions had been very active in relief efforts in Cebu, always aware of giving back to the community.

Meanwhile, questions arose surrounding the divisive decision on the WBO world minimumweight title defense of Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo against the similarly undefeated Carlos “Chocorroncito” Buitrago. Sabillo, who won the title via an eighth-round at the Coliseo Mario de Leon in Cerete, Colombia against hometown hero Luis De la Rosa in March, was making his second defense already. Sabillo bared his fangs in a sensational ninth-round stoppage of Jorlie Estrada with a crushing left hook to the body in July.

Buitrago, however, was no slouch. At 21, he was already a five-year veteran, and still three years younger than Sabillo was when he himself turned pro. Buitrago had the reputation of being a slugger, having knocked out 16 of his 27 victims. However, after knocking out 10 of his first 11 opponents, he had only scored two knockouts in his last eight fights. Had he already been figured out by opponents?

Nothing could have been further from the truth. Throughout the fight, Sabillo was the aggressor, but always in constant danger. Buitrago kept the frenetic pace along with the champion, staying with him with resounding exchanges in an action-packed 12-rounder. There was never a dull moment in the fight. Buitrago wanted Sabillo’s belt, and was willing to wade through a storm of punches to get it, with his trainer father relentlessly urging him on from his corner. The southpaw Sabillo initially had him figured out, stepping around him to get close enough to drop his explosive lefts.

In the first 15 seconds of the ninth round, however, the fight was almost lost. Sabillo walked into a thunderous right hook from the challenger, and wobbled back, almost falling to the seat of his pants. He was quickly able to regain his balance, and slammed his fists together in frustration. From then on, he kept his left guard up to protect himself. Unfortunately, this was also his biggest weapon, and he was torn between protection and offense. Buitrago, meanwhile, seemed to get stronger as the fight wore on.

At the end of the fight, Buitrago had a cut over his right eye, while Sabillo displayed swelling over his. It was very close to call, and the judges’ scores reflected the competitiveness of the contest. Levi Martinez scored it 115-113 for Buitrago. Jeorge Milke scored it similarly, but for Sabillo. Takeshi Shimakawa scored the fight 114-114. A split draw. Both fighters stayed unbeaten, and set up a likely rematch, if not in the next “Pinoy Pride” card in February, for certain, later in 2014.

This writer covered the fight live for an international ABS-CBN audience in the US, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Japan and over The Filipino Channel (TFC) in other territories. Other observers at ringside felt Sabillo had lost the fight, arguing that, even if he was the aggressor, much of the time he was not connecting solidly, and that he never really had Buitrago in trouble. For my money’s worth, I felt Merlito had won the fight via a split decision, through the right of the incumbent. In other words, the pressure was on Buitrago to take it away. And though the Nicaraguan had fought very well, he did not convince me that he had defeated Sabillo. You have to knock the champion off his perch, and I believe Sabillo had likewise fought superbly.

Overall, Pinoy Pride XXIII was a truly impressive showcase of excellent matchmaking. The four of the five main fights went the distance, and AJ Banal, Jason Pagara, Milan Melindo and Sabillo were forced to carve out wins in the minds of the judges. Nietes did not want to take that chance. The best part is, ALA Promotions still has more worthy world contenders awaiting their turn in the spotlight.