ALA Moves Pinoy Pride to July 11 Due to Injury of Mexican Boxer

The Pinoy Pride 31 headlined by the fight between Filipino Donnie Nietes and Mexican Francisco Rodriguez has been moved back a week due to an injury suffered by the Mexican challenger.

The event, dubbed the “Clash of World Champions,” will now be on July 11 instead of July 4, still at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

“Rodriguez had a minor ankle injury, so we moved the fight by a week as we want both fighters to be a 100 percent,” ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said.

Trainer Edito Villamor thinks the change won’t dampen Nietes’ training.

“He has logged close to 100 rounds of sparring. His preparation for this fight is really great,” said Villamor.”His training has been very good.”

Nietes, who is 35-1-4, with 21 KOs, needs to be in tip-top shape as the Mexican has been eyeing his crown for over a year.

Rodriguez, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight champion, is 17-2-1 with 11 KOs.

“We will use the same routine and continue our training program and improve our game plan and the strategy that we will use for the fight,” said Villamor.

Also in the undercard, undefeated Mark Magsayo (10-0, 8 KOs) will gun for his first regional title as he faces Mexican Rafael Reyes (16-4, 12 KOs) for the vacant IBF youth featherweight title.

Meanwhile, aside from preparing for Pinoy Pride, the ALA Gym is also hosting former world champion Nonito Donaire Jr., who is training at the gym to prepare for his bout against Anthony Settoul on July 18.

Donaire, who is 34-3, with 22 KOs, won his comeback fight against William Prado last February and hopes to win anew against Settoul, who sports a 20-3 record with 8 KOs.

He has already logged sparring sessions with Magsayo and is hoping to get more sparring rounds as he tries to get his way back to a world title shot after losing his title to Nicholas Walters last year. (PNA) SCS/EB/MP/RSM