STURDY veteran Donnie “Ahas” Nietes will have another crack at the limelight when he faces reigning World Boxing Organization junior bantam champ Kazuto Ioka of Japan in a mandatory title match ordered by Puerto Rico-based boxing body.
Writer Jake Donovan of boxingscene.com reported yesterday (Sunday in the US) that the WBO issued the order last Friday, “with the two sides given 30 days to reach a deal and avoid a purse bid hearing.”
Nietes recently signed with Probellum under seasoned promoter Richard Schaefer, who also promotes World Boxing Council bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr., among others, while Ioka is represented by TLAROCK Entertainment.
“Please be advised that WBO World Championship Committee is hereby ordering the commencement of negotiations for the subject matter bout,” Luis Batista-Salas, the WBO Championship Committee Chairman, wrote the two camps. “The parties herein have 30 days upon issuance of this letter to negotiate and reach an agreement accordingly.
“If an accord is not reached in the time frame sought therein, purse bid proceedings will be called per WBO regulations of world championship contests.”
The mandatory title bout will be a rematch between the two fighters, who last fought on Dec. 31, 2018 at the Wynn Palace in Cotai, Macau for the vacant WBO super flyweight (junior bantamweight) title.
Now 39, Nietes won his last legitimate world title by a split decision victory over the younger and less experienced Ioka before going into a three-year hibernation as the pandemic struck.
