Mexican foregoes plan to fight Nietes

WBO minimumweight world champion Moises Fuentes of Mexico has changed his mind and cancelled his plan to move up in weight to challenge Filipino WBO light flyweight world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes of the ALA Boxing Gym.

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) named Fuentes (16W-1L, 8 KOs) the mandatory challenger to Nietes’ title during the WBO convention held in Florida last month. But according to an article written by Miguel Rivera and posted on the website boxingscene.com, Fuentes has decided to stay in the 105 lb. weight division. The WBO has also reinstated him as the division’s world champion.

In his latest fight, Nietes (31W-1L-3D, 17 KOs) knocked out Thai Danai Meendaeng in five rounds in a non-title bout last November 17 in Dumaguete City. Nietes’ last title defense resulted in a unanimous decision victory against Felipe Salguero of Mexico last June at the Resorts World in Pasay City.

Nietes also held the WBO minimumweight world title from 2007 to 2011 and defended the title three times in Mexico .

There is no official word yet from the WBO as to who will be Nietes’ mandatory challenger but the top three contenders in his division in the WBO November rankings include Eduard Penerio of the Philippines at number one and Tommy Seran of Indonesia and Oleydong Sithsamerchai of Thailand occupying the number two and three slots respectively.