By NICK GIONGCO
These extraordinary times have certainly made a lot of boxers do what had been previously thought as undoable.
Tokyo Olympics qualifier Eumir Marcial tried his hand into farming and tuyo making while International Boxing Federation super-flyweight titlist Jerwin Ancajas ventured into poultry and piggery using free-range chickens and wild boars.
Pedro Taduran, the International Boxing Federation mini-flyweight ruler Pedro Taduran, stranded in Albay, joined his father in making machete and rice farming.
Four-division champion Donnie Nietes is no different.
Nietes, one of only three Filipino fighters other than Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire to win at least four world titles in as many weight divisions, is into the selling of kimchi (Korean spicy pickled cabbage and radish) in Cebu City.
One of Nietes’ top customers is his chief trainer Edito ‘Ala’ Villamor, who is likewise on business-mode, selling vegetables and
other home essentials.
“Super sarap ang kimchi ni Donnie,’ said Villamor, who often posts on social media wolfing down the spicy concoction of Nietes.
Villamor can’t seem to get enough of the hot and spicy delicacy that he regularly boasts on social media, saying he needs to get his hands on a new batch.
“Sila ang gumagawa at ako nagbebenta. Small business lang, parang libangan lang,” said Nietes, who turned 38 last May.
Nietes began selling last March during the onset of the lockdown and his growing list of loyal customers swears his very own stands out from the ones being sold in the grocery.
“Mas malasa daw yung binebenta ko at ang sabi ko naman sa kanila ay mas masarap yan pag pinatagal pa ng ilang araw bago kainin,” said the soft-spoken Nietes.
Whenever he has fulfilled the orders, Nietes gets on his fixie bike with his pedal pals around the province while also in his little way lending a helping hand to Cebu’a frontliners.
“Namigay din ako ng alcohol, pagkain at tubig sa mga frontliner,” he said.
Inactive the whole of 2019, Nietes last fought on New Year’s Eve of 2018 in Macau where he became a four-division titlist by beating Kazuto Ioka of Japan.
Though he has been sidelined the whole of 2019, Nietes isn’t hanging up his gloves just yet.
“Lalaban pa ako at kung meron maghahamon na lumaban (para sa world
title), lalaban ako,” said Nietes, who is originally from Murcia, Negros Occidental.
A pro since 2003, Nietes has amassed a record of 42-1-5 with 23 KOs.
But in the meantime, nothing can distract Nietes from his usual routine.
These days, biking and kimchi seem to be an unlikely perfect pair.
