BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia lauded the longest reigning Filipino champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, also the current International Boxing Federation light flyweight titlist, and recently-crowned Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation flyweight champion Jay-r Raquinel during their courtesy visit at the Bacolod City Government Center on Tuesday.
Leonardia said that while they have already recognized Nietes in many of the city’s events, he offered another acknowledgment when Bacolod turns 80 in June.
“I hope Donnie [Nietes] will further extend his winnings and write another history as the longest reigning boxing champion in the world. Manny Pacquiao is an eight-division champion and I think nobody can take that record from him,” he said.
The 35-year-old Nietes has a record of 41 wins, a defeat, and four draws with 23 knockouts, and has been a champion for 10 years and 6 months, having defended his belts 15 times.
Based on the current Guinness World Record, the late American Joe Louis holds the record of the longest reigning boxing world champion for almost 12 years with 66 wins and 3 losses including 52 knockouts and 25 title defenses.
Nietes thanked Leornardia, the people of Bacolod and to all who have supported him throughout his career.
“I hope that with everyone’s prayers, I can continue to give pride and honor to our country,” he added.
Former Games and Amusement Board chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon, president of the Bacolod Amateur Boxing Association (Baba), said that while we have a champion like Nietes, it didn’t stop his group from looking for next boxing champions.
“Nietes is already Nietes. We should continue to develop potential boxing champions. Raquinel, who is originally from Cauayan town, has also been a recipient of Bacolod’s program. It’s because we don’t limit our program to those from Bacolod alone. It’s open to every Negrense who wants to learn the sport,” he added.
Guanzon said that in the history of Philippine boxing, only three boxers have made the country known across the globe – Manny Pacquiao, the late Gabriel “Flash” Elorde in the 1960’s, and Francisco “Pancho Villa” Guilledo in the 1920’s.
When asked of possible staging of another title fight in Bacolod, Leonardia said that the city is willing to extend whatever assistance they could.
Bacolod hosted a title eliminator and a title fight in 2011, and a title defense in 2016 for Nietes.
Guanzon said that it’s easily said than done as boxing promotions are very challenging.
“Promoting boxing requires money which is hard to find in Bacolod. It’s just easy when the boxers in the fight card are already known but, if not, you really have to shell out funds from your own pocket,” he said.
“Boxing is more of passion than business. If you want to develop champions, you have to spend for them without expecting anything in return,” he added.
