Arroyo, kakasahan si Nietes para sa WBO crown

NAGALIT umano si McWilliams Arroyo sa pagbalewala ng WBC sa pangakong siya ang maging mandatory contender ni super flyweight champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai ng Thailand kaya hinamon niya si three-division world titlist Donnie Nietes ng Pilipinas para sa bakanteng WBO junior bantamweight crown.

Tinalo ni Arroyo si Mexican Carlos Cuadras, noong nakaraang Pebrero 24 sa Inglewood, California kaya nakuha niya ang bakanteng WBC silver championship at naging mandatory challenger kay Sor Rungvisai na ginapi naman si Mexican top contender Juan Francisco “El Gallo” Estrada ng araw ring iyon.

“I’m waiting for some movement, some decision that the WBC will take. It was said that the winner of the fight with Cuadras was going to face the winner of the fight between Sor Rungvisai and Estrada,” sabi ni Arroyo sa BoxingScene.com. “I’m still waiting to see if we’re going to do that. And that (fight with Sor Rungvisai), I would love it because he got two wins over the guy who beat me, which was Chocolatito ( Gonzalez) and is currently the absolute champion in the same organization where I won the [silver]title. I would be interested in that fight, but we are still waiting.”

Ngunit, nagulat si Arroyo dahil nakalista lamang siyang No. 3 sa huling rankings ng WBC kasunod nina Estrada at Gonzalez.

“I am leaning a bit more to fight for the WBO world title that is vacant. The one who is number one is Donnie Nietes. The one who is number two is the Filipino, Aston Palicte. That is who we are talking to, to give us the opportunity, because the television network wants McWilliams and Nietes,” sabi ni Rivera.

May rekord si Nietes na 41-1-4 na may 23 pagwawagi sa knockouts na naidepensa ang IBF flyweight crown kasabay ng pagwawagi nina Arroyo Sor Rungvisai sa sensasyonal na 7thround knockout laban kay two- division world champion Juan Carlos Reveco ng Argentina bago binitiwan ang titulo para umangat sa 115 pounds division.