NANINIWALA ang strength and conditioning coach ni three-division world champion Donnie Nietes na Amerikanong si Nick Curson na hindi sapat ang karanasan ng makakalaban nitong si Japanese boxing superstar Kazuto Ioka para talunin ang Pinoy boxer.

Maghaharap sina Nietes at Ioka para sa bakanteng WBO super flyweight title sa Disyembre 31, 2018 sa Wynn Palace Cotai sa Macao, China.

Sinasanay ngayon ni Curson si Nietes at nasa magandang kondisyon ang pangangatawan ng Pinoy boxer kaya masaya ang Amerikanong trainer.

“Donnie Nietes and me, we have a very good chemistry. I think that he understands me and I understand him very well,” sabi ni Curson sa Philboxing.com. “The first fight I worked with Donnie Nietes was when he knocked out Mexican Moises Fuentes to defend his world title at 108. That was back in May of 2014. And I have worked with him ever since for a total of nine fights.”

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Sa huling laban ni Nietes, dapat na nahablot na nito ang ikaapat na dibisyon sa boksing ngunit idineklarang tabla ang laban nila ng kababayang si Aston Palicte noong nakaraang Setyembre 8 sa Forum, Inglewood, California sa United States.

“The success in his good conditioning in all fights has been a team effort 100%,” diin ni Curson. “I appreciate Donnie as a person and as a fighter and I enjoy working with him and with his head coach Edito Villamor and the whole ALA team. We have such a great chemistry and we respect each other boundaries.”

Dinominahan ni Ioka ang huling kalaban nito na si Puerto Rican McWilliams Arroyo noong nakaraang Setyembre sa undercard ng sagupaan nina Nietes at Palicte para umangat bilang No. 3 sa WBO super flyweight rankings.

Ayon sa isa pang trainer ni Nietes na si Edmund Villamor, nirerepaso nila ang laban ni Ioka kina Arroyo at Juan Carlos Reveco ng Argentina na napatigil nito sa 11th round noong Disyembre 31, 2015 sa Osaka, Japan para mapanatili ang WBA flyweight title.

“Those are the fight that we focused on,” ani Villamor. “Ioka loves to come forward but sometimes he also boxes and run. So we prepare for any eventuality.”

Napatigil din ni Nietes si Reveco sa 7th round sa huling depensa nito sa IBF flyweight title noong nakaraang Pebrero 24 sa Forum, Inglewood, California.

May kartada si Nietes na 41-1-5 win na may 23 pagwawagi sa knockouts kumpara kay Ioka na may 23 panalo, 1 talo na may 13 pagwawagi sa knockouts.