DONNIE NIETES vs ERIK RAMIREZ

Exciting Filipino Donnie Nietes defends his WBO title as part of a 105-pound world title double header in Mexico on Saturday when he faces Erik Ramirez, a 26-year-old Mexican fighter who has lost only one of his last 12 bouts.

Nietes, captured the title in 2007 by outpointing Pornsawan, a tough and tenacious Thai, and he blew away an overmatched Nicaraguan in an easy title defence. His fight with Pornsawan was a thriller, with the Thai coming back strongly from a knockdown to have Nietes under pressure. Nietes won deservedly with his superior boxing skills and harder punching but he knew he had been in a fight.

I have seen a couple of Ramirez’s fights, which happened to be his last two losses. He was basically outclassed by the stronger and more experienced Nelson Dieppa in Puerto Rico, but he came close to winning his fight with fellow-Mexican Lorenzo Trejo. Although Ramirez was knocked out in the seventh round he had Trejo down twice and nearly out in the opening round.

Boxing in Mexico, Ramirez is expected to wage a spirited fight but Nietes looks like being too good for him. Nietes can box and bang, and I think he will have grown as a fighter after the war with Pornsawan. Nietes did his final preparations for the fight in Los Angeles, training at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card gym. I don’t think Nietes will have it all his own way on Saturday but he looks the better, stronger fighter I am expecting him to win in convincing fashion, perhaps by stopping Ramirez some time around the seventh or eighth round.