The WBO has now pushed for super flyweight champion Donnie Nietes and mandatory challenger Aston Palicte to undergo negotiations for a title rematch immediately.
It was expected that the organization would order the two boxers soon after Palicte won a title eliminator on January 31 and the formal order came on February 4. Both parties were notified that they have 15 days from the date the order was issued to come to terms to a fight deal or else a purse bid would be conducted. Should a purse bid be made for this fight, the minimum bid allowed to be submitted is $100,000 with Nietes set to take the lion's share of the winning bid due to being the champion.
As mentioned, Palicte won a final eliminator against previously unbeaten Puerto Rican contender Jose Martinez. Palicte dropped Martinez multiple times in the second round en route to a stoppage win on a boxing card in Alpine, California. The fight was streamed on UFC Fight Pass, the first main event to be on the streaming service since UFC and Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions signed a multi-year broadcast deal to show boxing cards on Fight Pass.
Nietes and Palicte previously fought for the then-vacant title last September in the co-main event of an HBO-televised card. The two fought to a controversial draw and the title remained vacant. The WBO then sanctioned a fight between Nietes and Kazuto Ioka for the vacant title on December 31, which was won by Nietes, and ordered Palicte to face Martinez in a title eliminator.
