By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense boxer Donnie Nietes suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Japanese fighter Jun Ikegawa in a non-title clash at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday night, May 20.

The Negros Occidental’s Murcia-native was unable to keep in step with the younger Ikegawa in his first fight in Japan since bowing to Kazuto Ioka in a WBO world super flyweight title clash in 2022.

Nietes thus split his first two matches this year after scoring a unanimous decision win over fellow Filipino fighter Miller Alapormina on April 10.

The 42-year-old Nietes holds the record for being the longest-reigning Filipino boxing world champion.

He is also a former four-division world champion.

Nietes saw his record drop to a 44-3-6 win-loss draw ring record, including 23 stoppage wins, while the 27-year-old Ikegawa improved to an 8-1-2 mark, including two stoppage wins./ASC, WDJ