Sabillo, Nietes banner Pinoy Pride XXIII card
Five of the biggest names in Philippine boxing share one stage in what could be the country’s biggest boxing event of the year.
Two world title fights will highlight the 23rd edition of Pinoy Pride boxing series slated Nov. 23 at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
“This is one of the biggest if not the biggest event in Philippine boxing. This has not been done in our five years of organizing Pinoy Pride. This will put a stamp in Philippine boxing,” said Michael Aldeguer, CEO and President of ALA Promotions during the card’s official launching yesterday at the Agean Room of the Waterfrtont Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Top-billing the mammoth card dubbed “Filipinos Kontra Latinos” are ALA Gym’s current world champions Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo and Donnie “Ahas” Nietes.
Sabillo (23-0, 12 KOs) will stake his WBO minimumweight title against Nicaraguan Carlos Buitrago (27-0, 16 KOs), while Nietes (31W-17-KOs-1L-4D) will place his WBO light flyweight title on the line against a still unknown opponent.
Also set to see action are Milan “EL Metodico” Milendo, AJ “Bazooka” Banal and Jason “El Nino” Pagara.
“We are still finalizing the complete fight card. But as the title “Filipinos Kontra Latinos” suggests, Latino boxers will be the main protagonists,” Aldeguer said.
Aldeguer said the original plan was to stage the card in Macau but due to public demand, ALA Promotions decided to have the event held at the Big Dome.
“We are on the verge of finalizing everything to have this fight in Dubai. But we got feedback from ABS-CBN and advertisers that a lot of people are asking to have the event held in the Philippines. They are saying that why stage it in Dubai when a lot of OFWs are coming home for the Christmas season,” Aldeguer said.
“The Araneta Coliseum is considered as the Mecca of Philippine sports. So holding the event there will prove that the country is capable of putting up a fight card of this magnitude” Aldeguer added.
The country first hosted a double world championship fight card in 2009 featuring Brian Viloria and Nonito Donaire. The Araneta Coliseum is more known for the historic ‘Thrilla in Manila’ headlined by Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in Sept. 30, 1975.
SIZZLING UNDERCARD
Meanwhile, the five ALA Gym stalwarts seeing action in the event vowed to put on a show.
“Based on what I saw on tapes, Buitrago is a good fighter. I’ll do my best to defend my title. This is going to be a good fight,” Sabillo said.
Nietes could possibly face Juan Francisco “El Gallo” Estrada of Mexico—the Mexican boxer who dealt Melindo his first career-loss last July in Macau.
“I am willing to face him or anyone in my division. Winning my third world title has been my goal,” said Netes, a two-division world champion since 2007.
Melindo (29W-12KOS-1L), for his part, is looking to get back on track after that loss to Estrada.
“I believe in myself. We believe in ourselves. My last fight taught me a lot that we should not be too confident,” Melindo said. “But I know my time will come and I will do my best to fulfill my dream of becoming a world champion.
“We’ve been training hard and we will do our best to perform well,” said Pagara (31W-19KOs-2L) .
Banal (29W-21KOs-2L-1D), on the other hand, is gunning for a second straight victory after winning his last fight against Abraham Gomez last July. Before that win, Banal stumbled in a world title fight against Thailand’s Pungluang Sor Singyu last year.
