Nietes tangles with unbeaten Penalba in April

After over two years without a fight, Donnie Nietes finally makes his return to the ring against unbeaten Panamanian Orlando Penalba on April 3 at the Caesars Palace in Dubai.

Now 38 years old, Nietes remains hopeful there’s enough gas in the tank to fuel his drive toward another world title.

Based on his record, Penalba shouldn’t be a pushover. The 27-year-old has won his first 10 bouts, although only two of these victories came by knockout.

Penalba’s performances proved enough for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to make him its No. 13 contender and for the World Boxing Association to rank him No. 15.

Still, Penalba’s credentials pale in comparison to that of Nietes, a four-division world champion with a 42-1-5 record, 23 by knockout.

Ring rust may be a factor, however, as Nietes last fought in December 2018, when he beat Japanese Kazuto Ioka in Macao for the vacant WBO super flyweight belt.

Nietes knows he’ll be facing a hungrier, younger opponent but is ready for the challenge presented by MTK Global, his new promotional outfit after ALA Promotions closed out at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

He has been working out with Edmund and Edito Villamor at the brothers’ gym in Mandaue to get back into fighting shape for the 10-round clash.

Top prospect Albert Pagara (33-1, 23 knockouts) will be appearing in the same card to be broadcast live in the United States via ESPN+.

Once touted as Philippine boxing’s brightest hope, Pagara’s career got derailed when he suffered an eighth-round knockout loss to Mexican Cesar Juarez in 2016 in San Mateo, California.

Pagara’s super bantamweight opponent has yet to be named. – Rappler.com