Sports
Donnie Nietes defends IBF flyweight title; knocks Reveco
(Pixabay photo)
Fourteen years of a clean undefeated boxing record, Filipino boxing champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes once again had a bigger audience roaring for a ‘perfect ten’ performance, after knocking out his Argentinian challenger, Juan Carlos Reveco in California.
In seven rounds of gloves smacking, the Filipino boxer made Reveco experience the power of his fists in eventually scoring a TKO for this fight.
Round one started really slow, with Nietes living up to his nickname as the ‘snake,’ as if observing first and calculating before grabbing his prey. The other gloved fighter returned the champion’s stance, focused on keeping a more relaxed play at the start, but occasionally landing punches.
The succeeding rounds were all about footwork, arms swinging, and glove smacks, but it was evident that Nietes was more on the tactical side, closing into his opponent to land some body blows, while Reveco, on the contrary, was delivering more wide arm movements.
In round four, the audience did not seem pleased with the slow play of the fighters, but the fifth round got the two players finally picking up.
Just when things were starting to heat up, Nietes shifted to a more aggressive approach in round six, often closing in then surprising Reveco by showering him with consecutive crisp punches on the body. In the last minute of the clock, the Filipino boxer was able to connect two punches to Reveco’s head, one on the face, then a finishing one on the back part of the head.
When the bell rang to end the round, it was evident for the challenger to have wobbly legs as he returned to his corner.
Reveco’s weak return to the ring for round seven was apparent. Nietes took advantage by giving Reveco blow-by-blow body shots, and a left uppercut finisher which sent his opponent down the canvas.
The Argentinean was able to respond to the referee’s count, but his evident unstable stance prompted his camp to throw the towel – which gave the victory to the Filipino boxer.
This is Nietes’s first time to defend his IBF Flyweight championship after winning it last year in Cebu. But this is also an addition to his victorious record now going up to a 41-1-4, and his 23rd knockout.
Reveco, a former two-time world champion dropped to 39-4.
