WBO Title Comeback Attempt of Former World Flyweight Champion Donnie Nietes Falls Short at 40
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Tokyo, Japan (July 13th, 2022)– The comeback attempt of former world Minimum, Light Flyweight and Flyweight World champion Donnie Nietes has fallen short at age 40, losing a rematch 12-round decision to Kazuto Ioka at Ota-City General Gymnasium in Japan on July 13, 2022, in the main event, for the World Boxing Organisation World Super Flyweight title Nieves vacated in 2019.
Nietes, 43-2-6 with 23 knockouts, Bacolod City, Philippines, lost for the first time in 18 years to Ioka, 29-2 with 15 knockouts, Tokyo, Japan, by scores of 120-108, 118-110, and
117-111. For Ioka, it was his sixth consecutive titular victory with the WBO title since losing to Nietes in June 2018 for the same belt.
Nietes said in an interview with Probellum before the bout he intends to keep fighting till age 45, citing the discipline boxing brings. “I don’t have any vices and I am not that abusive to my body, so I believe I can still be fighting for that long, As a boxer you need (have) discipline, hard work and to be consistent in your training.” Nietes must still contend with the fact Ioka strongly outboxed him in his unsuccessful comeback attempt. Like Manny Pacquiao against Yordenis Ugas, fighting at an advanced age, combined with significant periods of inactivity, can be considerably more difficult for even the most talented and experienced of fighters to overcome.
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