By Ronnie Nathanielsz, photos by Dong Secuya

CEBU CITY – Former WBO  minimumweight champion and mandatory challenger to WBO light flyweight champion Donnie "Ahas" Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino world champion, Mexico's Francisco Rodriguez vows that the "king will fall and a new king will be crowned on Saturday night at the Grand Pacific Ballroom of the Waterfront Hotel and Casino.

Nietes and the sometimes cocky Rodriguez had quite a few exchanges during the final press conference prior to Friday's weigh-in at the SM Activity Center with both fighters expressing confidence with Nietes predicting he would "knock out Rodriguez and shut his mouth "while avenging the loss of his good friend and stablmate Merlito "Tiger"

Sabillo who was beaten by Rodriguez who grabbed the title with an impressive 10th round TKO.

Rodriguez who arrived in Manila one week ahead of schedule and trained for two hours daily at the Elorde Gym along Taft Avenue apparently had some concerns over his weight and looked gaunt at the press conference.

In fact, he requested that the official weighing scale to be used yesterday be taken to his hotel so he could check his weight which turned out to be 110 pounds or 2 pounds over the light flyweight limit which wasn't expected to be difficult to shed in time for the weigh-in yesterday.

Rodriguez explained his disappointing draw in an action-packed non title bout against rugged Jomar Fajardo here last November telling a large number of Cebu-based boxing writers and TV reporters, “I was not focused in that fight. It was a punishment from God. Now I am back to correct what happened. With all due respect to all the eleven Mexican boxers that Nietes has beaten, they are all good fighters but Nietes has never fought anyone with my style. The Mexicans have balls.”

Nietes countered by stating that if Rodriguez proves to be the aggressor, “Counterpunching will stop him.”

Rodriguez upped the rhetoric and said  "I will wait for you inside the ring” to which Nietes responded, "“He will be the twelfth Mexican boxer that I will beat,"

Nietes has gone to the hometown of three Mexican challengers in the past and beaten them convincingly.

A former WBO/IBF minimumweight champion who won the IBF title from talented Japanese Katsunori Takayama in a "Fight of the Year" had sparred a total of 100 hours with world-rated  Saul Juarez who was beaten in Cebu by Milan Melindo and rugged Armando Torres in a five month preparation for the Nietes challenge.

Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo and Rafael Reyes of Mexico also did their own tough talk with Magsayo who has been sparring with  Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire and has engaged the five division world champion in some tnorrid exchanges, did not take kindly to Reyes who  already stated that he wants to fight Magsayo’s stablemate, "Prince" Albert Pagara.

Magsayo insisted “He has to go through me first and I am also prepared for this fight.”

Reyes responded , “This is why I am here. To show you what Mexicans are made of. I hope you (Magsayo) won’t run.”

Magsayo and Reyes will be battle for the IBF Youth featherweight title in the supporting main event of "PINOY PRIDE XXXI" titled "CLASH OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS" in another blockbuster card promoted by the famed ALA Promotions headed by its

president Michael Aldeguer and the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN with the big fights to be telecast at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday over Channel 2.

A special attraction will be the pro debut of multi-awarded amateur Kevin Jake Cataraja, who will be fighting Indonesia's Ardi Tefa in a six round bout.

During the press conference GAB Commissioner Fritz  Gaston who will be the IBF fight supervisor for the Magsayo-Reyes title fight presented Aldeguer with an IBF plaque citing ALA Promotions as the "Most Active International Promoter"for 2014.