MANILA, Philippines - Donnie Nietes found his Mexican opponent too cocky when they stood face-to-face during yesterday’s official weigh-in at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Mayabang,” said the Filipino champion of Gilberto Parra.
After both fighters tipped the scales at exactly 108 pounds, they posed before the cameras and did the customary staredown.
Parra, the bigger fighter, stuck his face close to Nietes’ and drew jeers from those who came to see the weigh-in.
Nietes kept his cool but as they were separated the reigning WBO junior flyweight champion from Bacolod did the slash-throat motion.
“I don’t know what he was trying to do,” said Nietes in Filipino as he was about to leave the Big Dome.
Nietes said the Mexican challenger will pay the price when they square off in tonight’s presentation of Pinoy Pride 30.
“I-knockout natin (Let’s knock him out). Mayabang eh,” said the longest-reigning Filipino world champion.
Nietes said he intends to climb the ring no heavier than 118 pounds.
“That’s my comfortable weight inside the ring,” added Nietes, who’s normally shy and soft-spoken.
Nietes, who has 34 wins against one loss with four draws, hasn’t lost a fight in 11 years. He’s out to keep his record intact tonight.
But Parra, who has 17 knockouts out of his 19 wins, vowed to end it all.
“On Saturday it will be his end,” said the Mexican.
Nonito Donaire Jr., the other great Filipino boxer, will take on Brazilian William Prado in the other featured bout.
It’s a very important fight for Donaire, who’s sliding down to super-bantamweight after being knocked out by featherweight champ Nicholas Walters last October.
Donaire and Prado both weighed in at 122 pounds.
“This is a very important fight to me because of what happened in my previous fight. Does Nonito Donaire still have it?” he said.
“We will find out,” he added.
Albert “Prince” Pagara and another Mexican. Rodolfo “Fofo” Hernandez, will dispute the IBF Inter-Continental junior featherweight crown.
Pagara is one of the most exciting fighters to come out of the ALA Boxing Club of Cebu, and another impressive win will push him closer to a title bout.
“Yan ang goal natin (That’s our goal),” said Pagara.