Will history be in Nietes corner tonite?

MANILA, Philippines - Donnie Nietes comfortably tipped the scales at Robinson’s Fuente in Cebu City at noontime yesterday half a pound below the junior flyweight limit.

The reigning WBO champion came in at 107.5 pounds while his challenger from Mexico, Carlos “Chapito” Velarde, was right on the dot at 108 pounds.

Tonight, at the Waterfront Hotel, the 32-year-old Nietes will try to defend the title he can’t seem to lose, and in the process earn a lofty place in history.

Nietes, 33-1-4 with 19 knockouts, hasn’t lost a fight over the last seven years, and has reigned champion in the 108 and 105 pound divisions.

If he beats Velarde, eight years younger and armed with a 23-6-1 record with 14 knockouts, Nietes will surpass the record of the great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde as the longest-reigning Pinoy boxing champion.

Nietes will put everything on the line in this 28th Pinoy Pride presentation.

Win or lose, Nietes also said this will be his last fight at 108 pounds, adding that he wants to pursue the bigger names and the bigger fights in the flyweight class.

“We don’t know what Donnie will be like at 112,” Nietes’ promoter, Michael Aldegeur of ALA Boxing, told jaded boxing scribe Ryan Songalia.  

“He’s been comfortable at 108, it wasn’t an issue for us to say he couldn’t make weight. We just felt there were bigger names out there, Donnie wanted to fight the big names out there,” Aldeguer added.

The other featured bouts tonight are Milan Melindo vs Saul Juarez of Mexico in an IBF junior flyweight eliminator and Albert “Prince” Pagara vs Raul Hirales of Mexico for the IBF Intercontinental junior featherweight crown.