Donnie Nietes came face-to-face with Kazuto Ioka at today’s weigh-in ahead of their WBO world junior bantamweight title fight.
The rivals are meeting in a rematch of their 2018 clash, which Nietes won on a split decision at the end of 12 keenly contested rounds.
Nietes and Ioka, who have both won world titles in four different weight classes, hit the scales at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel, Tokyo earlier on Tuesday.
Nietes weighed in at 114.5lbs, comfortably inside the 115lbs super flyweight limit, while the champion, Ioka, required a second attempt to make the stipulated weight, tipping the scales at 114.8lbs.
The pair are due to meet at the Ota-City General Gymnasium at 8 am ET on Wednesday, with the winner putting themselves in the frame for unification fights.
Donnie Nietes will add another chapter to his remarkable boxing story if he reclaims the WBO world junior bantamweight title.
The former four-weight world champion challenges Kazuto Ioka, in Tokyo, on July 13 for the belt he won in 2018, when defeating the Japanese star.
Nietes would relinquish the crown soon after the fight, allowing Ioka the chance to win the vacant title and almost four years on, the pair renew their rivalry at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in a fascinating clash of 115lbs greats.
The fight will be promoted by SANKYO presents LIFETIME BOXING FIGHTS 9 and will be added to the latest boxing schedule.
Donnie Nietes, said: “This was the fight I wanted the most and I am incredibly eager to win back my world title.
“I have been in training since February for this fight but I really stepped up my levels when I knew it was confirmed.
“This rematch makes me excited and when I vacated the title in 2018 it was always in my mind that I would, one day, win it back. On July 13, that dream will become a reality.”
Nietes, 40, has won world titles at minimumweight, light flyweight, flyweight and up at 115lbs, where he takes on Ioka for a second time.
Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum, said: “Donnie is a boxing legend and a sure-fire Hall of Fame inductee in the future.
“But his career is far from over, there is plenty left in the tank and when he travels to Japan and rips the world title from Kazuto Ioka on July 13, it will rank as the greatest victory of his remarkable career.
“What a story it would be for Nietes to recapture the title he first won almost four years ago, and to achieve that in a great champion’s backyard, would make it even more special.”
Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum, said: “Donnie is a boxing legend and a sure-fire Hall of Fame inductee in the future.
“But his career is far from over, there is plenty left in the tank and when he travels to Japan and rips the world title from Kazuto Ioka on July 13, it will rank as the greatest victory of his remarkable career.
“What a story it would be for Nietes to recapture the title he first won almost four years ago, and to achieve that in a great champion’s backyard, would make it even more special.”
Richard Schaefer says the “special” Donnie Nietes will chase major super flyweight unification fights after regaining his world title.
Nietes is in Tokyo, Japan to challenge WBO junior bantamweight champion Kazuto Ioka on Wednesday night at the Ota-City Gymnasium.
The Filipino hero defeated Ioka in 2018 to win that belt but would soon vacate the title and nearly four years on, he heads into “enemy territory” to win it back.
And Probellum President Schaefer says once Nietes has reclaimed the WBO crown, he will target unification showdowns with the other world champions, including Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez and Juan Francisco Estrada.
“Boxing is like an addiction and it’s very difficult for fighters to let go,” Schaefer said.
“And when you do become world champion again at age 40, who is going to stop you?
“Who is going to tell you that you cannot go and try to pursue a unification fight?
“For a long time, the lower weight classes were the neglected but now that has changed, and today, those they are extremely popular with fight fans and networks.
“It’s the right time to be in those weight classes and would I not be surprised if Donnie, once he’s world champion again, says: ‘Hey, I might as well add of add a few more titles.’”
Nietes is a former four-weight world champion and continues to operate at the top of the sport, aged 40.
Schaefer believes the man known as ‘Ahas’ is “underappreciated” but that his record stands up to any fighter in the lower weight classes.
“Donnie is certainly going to be a Hall of Famer,” Schaefer added.
“But he’s a little bit underappreciated. If you compare Donnie’s record to other fighters in that past, in these weight classes, he holds up very well with any of them.
“Donnie has 43 wins in a long spanning career and has only one loss. And that one loss came back in 2004, 18 years ago – he hasn’t lost in 18 years!
“That must be the longest unbeaten streak of any active fighter today? And it just shows you how special he is that he goes again into enemy territory to go and challenge for the world title again. It’s a fascinating story.”
