Filipino defending champion Donnie Nietes and Argentine mandatory challenger Juan Carlos Reveco have come to an agreement to face each other.
The venue won’t be the Philippines nor Argentina.
Promoter Michael Aldeguer, fresh from a US trip to discuss the fight for Nietes’ International Boxzing Federation flyweight crown, mentions three possible “neutral” locales.
“The US, China or Dubai (United Arab Emirates),” said Aldeguer, whose ALA Boxing manages the 35-year-old Nietes.
Aldeguer wanted to import Reveco to the Philippines and Reveco countered that Nietes risks his IBF 112-lb title in Argentina.
The two camps failed to reach an agreement and they later decided to hold it elsewhere.
“They didn’t want to come over and we didn’t also like the idea of going there either because of what happened to (Johnriel) Casimero,” said Aldeguer, narrating the ugly incident a few years ago when Casimero was attacked by fans of his foe in Mar del Plata during a title fight that resulted in a full-blown riot.
Aldeguer tried his best to arrange a fight this year but a deal couldn’t be reached and Nietes (40-1-4 with 22 KOs) will have to wait until February 2018 to meet the 34-year-old Reveco (39-3 with 19 KOs).
Nietes is a three-division world champion, having won world titles as well at minimumweight (105 lbs) and light-fly (108 lbs) before taking over flyweight (112 lbs).
Only Manny Pacquiao (eight world titles) and Nonito Donaire (four world titles) have won more.