WORLD Boxing Organization light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes, the longest-reigning Filipino world champion, reiterated his desire that he is relinquishing his light flyweight title to move up to flyweight so he could fight “the big names in boxing.”
This begins when he faces former world champion Edgar Sosa at the StubHub Center in Carson City, California on Sept. 24.
Nietes told a media gathering at Gerry’s Grill opposite ABS-CBN, the giant network that will cover the fight also on The Filipino Channel, that he’s done with the 108-pound division because “there’s nothing left for me there. I think it’s time for me to challenge other world champions and I feel much more comfortable now at 112 pounds.”
He said he wants to fight WBO/WBA flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez,” the unbeaten pound-for-pound No.1 from Nicaragua.
“I want to prove to everyone that I still have a lot to achieve as a fighter. I can still fight for my family, gym and country,” said Nietes, even as he asked for the support of his countrymen.
Sosa is considered a worthy opponent for Nietes’ first venture at 112 pounds. The Mexican veteran has a record of 52-9-0 with 30 knockouts. He is coming off a unanimous six-round decision win over journeyman Orlando Garcia Guerrero last Feb. 13 after suffering a second-round TKO loss to the unbeaten Gonzalez May 16 last year.