The camps of Donnie Nietes and Aston Palicte have reached an agreement for their vacant WBO junior bantamweight title fight, avoiding the necessity of a purse bid.

The fight will take place on August 18 in Nietes’ adopted hometown of Cebu City, Philippines, where his promoter, ALA Boxing, is based. Contracts have not yet been signed and no venue had been settled on yet, but the fight will headline the 45th installment of the “Pinoy Pride” series on ABS-CBN in the Philippines.

A request for comment was not immediately responded to by ALA Promotions head Michael Aldeguer, though the news was announced through ABS-CBN.

(Update: Aldeguer tells THE RING in a text: “We are still working on the contract. Can’t confirm it yet but getting close.”)

The fight will be the second all-Filipino world title bout in two months after 93 years without one, and will match the No. 1 contender Nietes (41-1-4, 23 knockouts), a three-division champion, against No. 2 contender Palicte (24-2, 20 KOs), a lesser-known contender who had once been a member of the Philippine national amateur team.

Both fighters hail from the same province in the Visayas region, Negros Occidental.

“Donnie is the fight we’ve wanted ever since he was appointed as the number one contender,” said Guy Taylor, matchmaker for Roy Jones Jr. Promotions, which handles Palicte.

“(Nietes is) definitely a legend in the Philippines and future Hall of Famer. Nietes, just like (Roman Gonzalez) Chocolatito, though, will find out that only three pounds north that the landscape will be a little different up there.” 

Aston Palicte (right)

Palicte, at age 27, is more than eight years younger than Nietes, who turns 36 on May 13, and is also the naturally bigger man, standing four inches taller than Nietes at 5-foot-7 and having fought most of his career at 115 pounds. Nietes moved up gradually, winning his first title at 105 pounds before winning belts at 108 and 112.

READ: Donnie Nietes: From janitor to under-appreciated champ

“I just can’t see the 36-year-old Nietes holding off Aston for 12 rounds,” said Taylor. “I’m wondering what Nietes’ reaction is going to be once he gets hit flush and feels that concussive power of Palicte.”

Palicte’s manager, Jason Soong, tells THE RING that they agreed to fight in Cebu because they feel they have a strong chance of pulling off the win. Palicte has won his last four bouts over the past two years, and is currently trained by former world titleholder Rodel Mayol, a former ALA Gym fighter.

Nietes is currently in California accompanying his stablemate Jonas Sultan, who will face IBF junior bantamweight titleholder Jerwin Ancajas on May 26 in the previously referenced Filipino vs. Filipino world title fight.

READ: Casimero picks Ancajas to beat Sultan, but doesn’t expect an exciting brawl