Nietes: Setting the example

Donnie Nietes’ dream is simple: to be a world champion for a decade. Saturday night, he once again proved why he is a prototype boxing champion, with a masterful demolition of Gilberto Parra at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Parra, a second replacement opponent for Nietes, was younger, taller and had a longer reach. Athletically, he seemed a great match-up for the Filipino. But after being unable to crack Nietes’ tough defense and taking some solid single shots to the body, Parra’s fight turned to flight. At the end of the second round, he was clutching his side as he walked back to his corner, a sight that did not go unnoticed by the ALA coaches. But Nietes did not force matters, as he never does. The inevitable would come soon enough.

In the eighth round, the gradual accumulation of quality punches from Nietes finally took their toll. Parra, who has used most of the small ring trying to escape close quarters fighting, succumbed to a two-punch combo from the champ, and fell to the canvas. His left eyebrow was bleeding. Nietes charged in in a haste, trying to end the bout for his 11th world title defense. Parra clinched. Come the ninth round, the bleeding would increase, as would the pressure from Nietes. Parra had no answers. His corner was reduced to shouting vague instructions, like a cheerleader who doesn’t understand how the game is played. Nietes, like a grindstone, had worn the Mexican down until there was almost nothing left. At the end of the ninth, to save himself from further embarrassment, Parra quit, allegedly due to injury. This writer was beside the Mexican corner covering the “Pinoy Pride 30: D-Day” for ABS-CBN’s international English telecast. The biggest injury I saw was to the Mexican contingent’s ego. 

 And so, in the building that opened for Flash Elorde’s world title clash with Harold Gomes 55 years ago, Nietes continued to eclipse the legendary boxer’s record. By default, as of January, the Negros native had surpassed seven years as reigning world champion, claiming his second title, that of WBO world light flyweight champion, in October of 2011. In Pinoy Pride 30, he cemented that claim to singularity. He is also the only Filipino world champion to successfully defend his world title in Mexico thrice. Where most Filipino champions barely get past their second title defense, Nietes has been a rock, an inspiration: calm, unperturbed, businesslike, efficient.

And perhaps that is the irony of it all. The vast North American crowd has not seen much of Donnie Nietes. They don’t like small, understated, consistent and efficient. They like big, loud, flamboyant and reckless, all the things Nietes is not. It took them decades to accept that Asian cars don’t guzzle gasoline like a wino. And Nietes is a craftsman who understands the deep fulfillment of gratification that does not come instantly. The former janitor pestered the ALA braintrust to give him a chance to box, but he had to wait for his time. He has never been a cookie-cutter champion. He gets the wins in whatever fashion they present themselves. And who can question the results?

This writer prays that the 32-year old ring king will get a chance to fight on an even bigger stage in the US, to show the American audience what they’ve been missing, and what their alphabet-soup, one-shot wonder champions could be if they spent less time posturing and more time investing in themselves. Since the 1980’s, there has been a multiplication of boxing organizations, and dozens of unripe champions who don’t care much for the fans, and often even less for their craft. Nietes has shown how it can – and should – be done. While there is still time, shine a brighter spotlight on this remarkable little man who has dominated his sport like few before him have. While there is still time, let us show the rest of the world how deprived they have been of a quality champion who is also a quality champion: humble, soft-spoken, God-fearing, family-oriented.

Pinoy Pride 30 was also a chance to Nonito Donaire to build his confidence. Challenged to go back down to his old stomping grounds in the super bantamweight class, the Filipino Flash showed improvement, especially in his attitude, in an early dismissal of the dangerous William Prado. The Brazilian, who had won as much as he had lost in recent years, had the power to match Donaire, but not the skill. By the second round, he was helpless, and was mercilessly being pounded with jackhammer lefts from the five-division former champion. The fight was soon over. The crowd had been chanting Donaire’s name, spurring him on early. After some tentativeness in the beginning, the old Filipino Flash reintroduced himself to an audience that had not seen him fight live in six years.

Having spent the last month training in Cebu, Donaire dedicated the fight to Overseas Filipino Workers. He had been apart from his wife Rachel, who is expecting their second child in California in a matter of weeks. That and the rush to lose weight had filled him with fire again. And though he humbly acknowledged that there were still flaws in his game, he said he dreamed of winning the 122-pound world title again, against whoever they put in front of him. Time is also starting to become an adversary for Donaire, who has tasted two dramatic losses since an amazing run of four wins in 2012 alone that resulted in the Boxing Writers Association of America naming him Boxer of the Year. Saturday night was more than comeback of sorts. It was a character-builder for Donaire, Jr., who has built a new life and repaired fractured relationships on this new road to greatness.

Of course, there were other bright spots in Pinoy Pride 30. “Prince” Albert Pagara was on a tough match-up against the taller, longer Mexican Rodolfo “Fofo” Hernandez early on. But it became a matter of endurance and better defense, and Pagara was the better puncher, retaining his IBF inter-continental junior featherweight title with a fourth-round TKO. Truth be told, Hernandez was unable to really hurt Pagara, while the opposite could not be said. Pagara also had an unnerving smile on his face throughout the fight, further shaking his opponent’s confidence. Hernandez, who is a gambler inside the ring, was more careful than usual, but simply could not withstand Pagara’s power, and did not answer the bell for the fifth round, claiming an injured right hand.

Previously, AJ Banal, a shade slower and a bit bigger than he used to be, carved out a skill-laden win against a game but weaker Junior Bajawa of Indonesia. Despite the victory, Banal shook his head, unsatisfied that he could not figure out a way to knock his opponent out. Banal, you may recall, has twice been in line for a world title, but twice has fizzled out after leading all the way. Whether it is an issue of stamina or mental toughness, is hard to tell. Newcomer Joepher Montaño stirred the crowd with a sensational second-round TKO of Australian Tyson Maher. The visitor foolishly charged in at the opening bell, not knowing what he was getting into. After getting a serious pounding and being sent to the canvas, Maher still persisted. In the second round, Montaño threw a big shot to the body that sent Maher into submission.

The Pinoy Pride series is slated to travel to Dubai once again, and perhaps the United States within the year. ALA Promotions continues to find willing audiences for the tremendous talent in its stable, producing consistently high TV ratings and blazing new paths for Filipino promoters to follow. They will easily have at least two more world champions within the next two years. Easily.