Donnie Nietes Vacates IBF Flyweight World Title, Will Move Up To Super Flyweight
After retaining his IBF flyweight title on the super flyweight division’s biggest night of 2018, Nietes decided he wants to be a part of the super flyweights.
In a press conference in the Philippines, Nietes announced he would be vacating his title and move up in weight in order to challenge for a 115-pound world title.
“To go up in weight is never easy, but this is my dream, to become a four-division world champion and to fight all the big names. This is a new challenge for me, and I am very happy that ALA Promotions has supported me to pursue my dream of a fourth division world title,” Nietes said in the press conference.
Nietes now joins one of the most stacked divisions in the sport, which includes the like of Jerwin Ancajas, Juan Carlos Estrada, McWilliams Arroyo, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and more. Nietes, who sports a 41-1-4 record, has also won world titles at minimumweight and light flyweight. If he wins a world title at super flyweight, he would become the 18th man in modern boxing history to win a world title in four different weight classes. Mikey Garcia was the latest boxer to join the exclusive club when he won the IBF junior welterweight title in March.
Nietes also sports one of boxing’s most impressive undefeated streaks, having not lost a boxing fight since 2004. Nietes moving up in weight puts him in play to challenge for the vacant WBO super flyweight title that was previously owned by Naoya Inoue before he moved up in weight to challenge for the WBA bantamweight title.
In his last fight, Nietes knocked out Juan Carlos Reveco on the February 24 “Superfly 2” special event that HBO televised from the The Forum in California.
