By Ashley Bercasio
Many had hoped that the Donnie ‘Ahas’ Nietes of old – the four-division world champion with a 37-fight winning streak – would show up in his rematch with WBO super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka last July 13 at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
But instead, an old Nietes suited up against the Japanese champion.
Ioka, seven years younger than the 40-year-old Nietes, executed a boxing master class and pulled off a lopsided unanimous decision victory to retain his WBO strap.
The scorecards told the exact same story as all three judges saw Ioka win by a wide margin, 120-108, 118-110 and 117-111.
“Boxing is a young man’s game, and nakita natin, he (Nietes) fought like an old guy that he really is at age 40,” renowned boxing analyst Atty. Ed Tolentino told PTV.
Nietes was unable to summon the deadly form he used to beat the same opponent in Macau in 2018 to nab the then vacant WBO super flyweight crown.
“Hindi na natin nakita ‘yung dating tuklaw ni Ahas,” Tolentino said.
Ioka also took advantage of Nietes’ two-year boxing hiatus.
After their first face-off, Nietes chose to give up his title rather than face fellow Filipino Aston Palicte in a rematch.
Nietes went back in action in 2021, recording a unanimous decision win against Pablo Carrillo of Colombia in April before a split draw match with Dominican Republic’s Norbelto Jimenez in December.
“Alam ni Kazuto Ioka na medyo may kalawang itong si Nietes,” said Tolentino. “He was the busier fighter in terms of work rate at talagang binobomba n’ya ang katawan ni Donnie Nietes dahil alam n’yang mahina ito dahil nga matagal na walang laban, at napapaatras si Donnie Nietes, kaya ‘yung mga counter ni Nietes walang ‘yung usual snap, wala ‘yung usual sting.”
With Ioka handing him the worst loss of his career, should the future hall-of-famer call it a career?
Nietes conquered four weight divisions (minimumweight, light flyweight, flyweight, and super flyweight) and tallied 37 straight victories from 2004 to 2021.
“Palagay ko’y wala nang rason para ituloy pa ni Donnie Nietes ang kanyang karera,” Tolentino remarked.
“Among the lower weight fighters na Filipino boxers, Nietes easily stands out as one of the best.”
Should Nietes retire, he would finish his boxing career with an impressive 43 wins, two losses, six draws with 23 knockouts. – ag
