SUMMARY
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Donnie Nietes is back at the gym, Albert Pagara has a scheduled bout, Jonas Sultan is training in the United States, and KJ Cataraja is bracing for big bouts.
Coaches Edito and Edmund Villamor, on the other hand, have put up their own gym.
Life goes on for the stars and key personnel displaced by the closure of ALA Promotions in August. (READ: Coronavirus knocks out ALA Boxing)
Nietes, a four-division world champion, is shaking off the rust brought about by two years of inactivity at the Villamor Brothers Boxing Gym in Pagsabungan, Mandaue City.
The 38-year-old Nietes’ first concern is to shed excess pounds then prepare for a tuneup fight under MTK Global early next year.
Afterwards, Nietes (42-1-5, 23 knockouts) will again make a pitch to the top guns of the super flyweight division like Chocolatito Gonzalez, Juan Francisco Estrada, or Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.
Pagara resumes his climb back to the top when he tangles with veteran Virgil Puton on December 18 in a card promoted by Omega Pro Sports International at the IPI Compound in Mandaue City.
Having gotten big during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, Pagara will fight at a contracted weight of 128 pounds.
Once considered the Philippines’ brightest prospect, Pagara’s stock plummeted when he suffered an 8th round knockout loss to Mexican Cesar Juarez in San Mateo, California, in 2016.
The 26-year-old Pagara, now with MTK Global and D4G Promotions, has stopped his last 5 opponents for a 32-1 slate with 23 knockouts and should again be ready to contend for a world title next year.
Sultan, best known as Johnriel Casimero’s conqueror in a world eliminator in 2017, has hooked up with ZC Kings International of philanthropist Cory Navarro and is in Hollywood, training with and serving as IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas’ sparring partner.
After his victory over Casimero, now the WBO bantamweight titlist, Sultan (16-5, 10 knockouts) challenged but lost to Ancajas two years ago in Fresno, California.
The unbeaten Cataraja (11-0, 9 knockouts) is now with Sanman Promotions headed by JC Manangquil and Zip Management.
Cataraja, together with Pagara, served as Naoya Inoue’s sparring partners in the training camp of the “Japanese Monster” for his scrapped April 25 unification with Casimero at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Having finished his criminology course, Cataraja is now bent on chasing his dream of becoming world champion.
Nietes, Pagara, Sultan, and Cataraja are reviving their ring careers by taking routes different from what ALA charted for them. – Rappler.com
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