RONNIE “AHAS” NIETES returns to the ring in a World Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight title eliminator against Norbelto Jimenez of the Dominican Republic on December 11.
The Nietes-Norbelto fight is one of the main featured bouts of “Probellum: Revolution” at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“It’s really a good opportunity for me to have this fight, a step closer of becoming a world champion again,” the 39-year-old Nietes told BusinessMirror on Wednesday.
Nietes said that he’s in a better condition compared to his fight against Pablo Carrillo of Colombia last April 3 in Dubai which he won by a unanimous decision.
Nietes trains under Edmund Villamor in Cebu. If he beats the 30-year-old Jimenez (30-9-5 win-loss-draw record with 16 knockouts), he could set up a future duel with reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council super flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico.
He could also fight American WBA regular super flyweight champion Joshua Franco.
“It depends on my manager and promoter, but what is important is to win the fight in front of me,” the four-division champion Nietes (43-1-5 record with 23 knockouts) said.
World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion Johnriel Casimero will fight British challenger Paul Butler and Jayson Mama will be facing International Boxing Federation flyweight champion Sunny Edwards in the same card.