By Salven Lagumbay, Dong Secuya
Inquirer
CEBU CITY–Unheralded Negrense Donnie Nietes won by unanimous decision over previously undefeated Pornsawan Kratingdaenggym of Thailand to capture the World Boxing Organization minimumweight crown at the Waterfront Cebu Hotel Sunday night and give the Philippines its fourth world title this year.
Nietes, from Murcia, Negros Occidental, raised his record to 22 wins and one defeat with 13 knockouts while handing Cebu’s famed ALA Boxing Gym of Antonio L. Aldeguer its maiden world crown.
The judges saw it 116-110, 115-111 and 114-113, all for Nietes.
Boxing beautifully and showing excellent defensive skills, Nietes sent Porsawan (20-1-0, 15 KOs) to the canvas with a body and head combination, capped by a right straight to the jaw, midway in the fourth round.
The Thai charged back and won the fifth round, but Nietes won several of the remaining rounds through effective counter punching. Pornsawan was deducted a point in the 10th round by referee Raul Caiz for low blows.
Meanwhile, a Thai revealed that Porsawan indeed used “Chai Che Chew,” better known as ammonia, during the fight. Trainer Juanito Ablaca confiscated the small bottle containing ammonia from Porsawan’s corner after the fight.
Games and Amusement Board physician Jose Unabia said the post-fight urine test he did on Pornsawan was positive for ephedrine, a regulated substance, that could have been triggered by the use of ammonia.
WBO Asia Pacific chair Leon Panoncillo has issued a statement saying that ammonia is not allowed in any fight, adding he will confer with the WBO on what step to take next.
Undercard results
Rising star AJ “Bazooka” Banal knocked down Mexican super flyweight champ Esau Gaona on the way to a first-round victory to capture the WBO Asia Pacific Youth super flyweight title.
Robert Allanic successfully defended his WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight crown over Song In-suk of Korea via an 11th round TKO.
Rocky Fuentes beat Danilo Lerio over 12 rounds to keep his Philippine flyweight title.
Super featherweight James Bacon, fighting in his second pro fight, sent Roldan Sayson of Cagayan de Oro to the stretchers via a 3rd round TKO.
Nietes thus joined the exclusive group of reigning Filipino world champs Florante Condes (minimumweight, IBF), Nonito Donaire Jr. (flyweight, IBF, IBO) and Gerry Peñalosa (bantamweight, WBO).
