by Tamas Pradarics

Donnie Nietes won his first world title in September 2007 when he decisioned then undefeated future champion Pornsawan Porpramook for the vacant WBO strawweight belt in Cebu City, Philippines. Almost a decade later he is a three-division champ who is still unbeaten in world title fights, winning a total of fifteen alongside with a draw.

Nietes (40-1-4, 22 KOs) debuted as a flyweight in September last year with a twelve-round shot out over former long-time champion Edgar Sosa. He joined the latest cast of 112-pound titleholders in this last April after he outworked Komgrich Nantapech for the IBF belt vacated by his countryman Johnriel Casimero.

The Filipino champion’s first defense is targeted to be in November against his yet to discussed mandatory challenger.

”We are looking at November for Donnie as his next fight will be a mandatory. Juan Carlos Reveco (#3 by the IBF) and Komgrich Nantapech (#4) will be fighting on September 8 to determine who the mandatory challenger to Donnie will be,” said Nietes’s promoter, Michael Aldeguer, President and CEO of ALA Boxing to BoxingScene.com.

Nietes decided to leave the light flyweight class for the flyweight category with hopes of potential super fights against A-class opposition that was long overdue for the 35-year-old pugilist. Unfortunately, though, Donnie arrived to a literally empty division after all the top-dogs left to seek supremacy at super flyweight.

”Our goal is to have Donnie fight the bigger names at 112. We originally wanted to go after Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez but both moved up to the 115-pound division. We will see what’s next for Donnie after the mandatory fight in November,” discussed Aldeguer.

With stars like Gonzalez, Estrada, Naoya Inoue, Carlos Cuadras or Srisaket Sor Rungvisai all competing a division north of Nietes, question arises regarding an additional move to the super flyweight category. According to Aldeguer that it is not on the menu for his fighter, especially not in the near future.

”Donnie will stay at 112 pounds for now as he may be too small for 115.”

You can reach Tamas Pradarics at pradaricst@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TomiPradarics.