Nietes ready to rumble against Mexican

MANILA, Philippines - Reigning WBO light-flyweight champion Donnie Nietes said he’s ready for anything that his Mexican opponent will bring to the table.

“Whatever he does, I’m ready for it,” the longest-reigning Filipino world champion said in anticipation of Saturday’s fight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Nietes is scheduled to climb the ring against Gilberto Parra and he’s out to stretch his amazing run of 23 straight wins in over 11 years.

He has not lost a fight since September of 2004 when he faced an Indonesian opponent who climbed the ring six pounds over the weight limit.

Nietes recently surpassed the record of the great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde as the longest-reigning Pinoy world champion at seven years and three months.

Edmond Villamor also told The STAR that based on their studies, Parra has the tendency to shift from being a slugger to a boxer.

“Parra carries both styles,” said Villamor in Filipino.

“Minsan pumapasok pero minsan boxer at nag-aabang lang,” he said, adding that Nietes had done everything in training.

Nietes went over a hundred rounds in sparring since January, just enough for him to declare that he’s “100 percent ready” for the fight.

The pride of ALA Boxing Promotions will bring with him a long and impressive record of 34 wins, four draws and a single loss (with 20 knockouts).

He said a knockout will come if Parra comes in.

“If he moves in, I may knock him out,” said Nietes.

But it’s easier said than done because Parra is a knockout artist himself. Of his 19 wins and two defeats, 17 came by knockout.

“We know the history of Nietes with Mexican fighters, and I admire him. But everything has an ending, and the end will come for Nietes on Saturday,” said the Mexican.

“He has good record. But we were able to go over his style,” said Nietes, who will share the spotlight with Nonito Donaire in this Pinoy Pride presentation.

Donaire is out to bounce back from a loss to Nicholas Walters last October, and had gone down to 122 pounds.

The five-division world champion takes on Brazilian William Prado, seeking a victory and perhaps another shot at the super-bantamweight crown.

“Everything is great. I’m doing good,” he said.