Montiel vs Donaire Live Stream | Boxing After Dark

Montiel vs Donaire Live Stream | Boxing After Dark. Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs) will try to take the WBO and WBC bantamweight title belts that belong to his opponent, Fernando Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KOs) of Mexico, in a scheduled 12-round bout at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas (HBO live, 9:45 p.m. ET).


"This fight between Nonito Donaire and Fernando Montiel -- everybody who follows boxing knows it will be a great fight, but the interesting thing for me about this fight [is] the countries where these fighters come from, the Philippines and Mexico," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said. "There is almost frenzy about this fight. I was informed that in the Philippines there are two one-hour [television] specials promoting the fight, and they are expecting a huge audience on Sunday morning, which is their time equivalent of when the fight will be aired.

Montiel vs Donaire Live Stream

Watch Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire vs Fernando "Cochulito" Montiel Live February 19, 2010 Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. In this site you can witness the live event, latest news, fight predictions, replays, weigh-ins, tale of the tape, and as well as the 24/7 episode of HBO.

Please bookmark this site and come back on the event day as we bring you the live play-by-play and coverage for the Montiel vs Donaire Fight.

Montiel, Donaire battle for supremacy

By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com

LAS VEGAS -- The fight poster that adorns the light boxes throughout Mandalay Bay advertises the much-anticipated showdown between unified bantamweight titleholder Fernando Montiel and top-10 pound-for-pound fighter Nonito Donaire. Near the top, above their photos and under the words "World Championship," the poster reads, in big, bold letters: "Mexico vs. The Philippines."

Besides crowning the top bantamweight in the world, the fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday night (HBO, 9:45 ET/PT) is all about nationalistic pride in the latest installment of a growing rivalry between the boxing-mad countries.

"This fight between Nonito Donaire and Fernando Montiel -- everybody who follows boxing knows it will be a great fight, but the interesting thing for me about this fight [is] the countries where these fighters come from, the Philippines and Mexico," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said. "There is almost frenzy about this fight. I was informed that in the Philippines there are two one-hour [television] specials promoting the fight, and they are expecting a huge audience on Sunday morning, which is their time equivalent of when the fight will be aired.

"In Mexico, there is tremendous anticipation and great media coverage. It is my hope that the enthusiasm that is coming from the Philippines and Mexico permeates in the United States, that people that follow boxing and casual sports fans watch this fight on HBO because it truly will be a great fight for the sport of boxing."

In the co-feature, Philadelphia welterweight Mike Jones (23-0, 18 KOs) meets Mexico's Jesus Soto-Karass (24-5-3, 16 KOs) in a rematch of Jones' majority decision win on Nov. 13 on the pay-per-view undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito fight at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

One of boxing's greatest rivalries has been Mexico-Puerto Rico, which has produced numerous classics in recent decades. But the Mexico-Philippines rivalry is newer. It has its roots in pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao's rise to the top of the sport over the past several years.

Although there have been recent title matches between Filipinos and Mexicans -- the Philippines' Gerry Penalosa against Jhonny Gonzalez and Daniel Ponce De Leon, for example -- it has been Pacquiao who has rolled over one Mexican after another, leading many to dub him "The Mexecutioner."

Just look at the list of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans whom Pacquiao has beaten, mostly in utterly dominant fashion: Antonio Margarito, Oscar De La Hoya, David Diaz, Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Jorge Solis, Oscar Larios and Hector Velazquez. And Pacquiao is also 1-0-1 against Juan Manuel Marquez and 2-1 against Erik Morales.

Montiel is well-aware of Pacquiao's dominant record against his countrymen and is looking for a little get-back, even if it comes against a friend. Montiel and Donaire, who used to train together, are buddies outside the ring.

"Definitely, with Pacquiao fighting so many Mexicans, he created this rivalry," Montiel said through translator Ricardo Jimenez of Top Rank following Thursday's final news conference. "I look forward to fighting a good Filipino fighter. I want to get even for all the ones Pacquiao has beaten. So I want to get in there and get some wins for us."

Donaire, of course, hopes to continue the dominance of Pacquiao, his boxing idol.

"[The rivalry is] good news for boxing," Donaire said. "Me and Montiel are good friends, but in that ring we are proud of who we are, me being a Filipino and Montiel being a Mexican. We are proud of who we are. The rivalry is healthy for boxing. It's good for boxing. The Mexican fighters are our biggest rival."

Said Montiel: "I know the rivalry is getting better as [the Filipino] fighters are getting better. There is a little extra motivation there. I think both countries, the Philippines and Mexico, want to see their guys win. They are both behind their fighters, and a victory for either side would be important."

If Pacquiao is the No. 1 Filipino fighter -- and there is no doubt about that -- then Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs), who moved to the San Francisco Bay area when he was 10, is clearly No. 2.

"The face of boxing today is Manny Pacquiao and he comes for the Philippines, but right behind him in the Philippines is a man who comes from the same city as Pacquiao, General Santos, and is becoming more and more endeared to the Philippine fans," Arum said of Donaire.

Montiel (43-2-2, 33 KOs), one of five Mexican fighters to win world titles in three weight divisions, is Mexico's No. 2 active fighter behind lightweight champion Marquez.

Montiel would like to become the first Mexican to win a title in a fourth weight class. With a win against Donaire, he will consider looking to the junior featherweight division for the opportunity.

Montiel, 31, unified bantamweight belts last April when he went to Japan and, as the underdog, rallied for a fourth-round knockout of well-respected longtime titleholder Hozumi Hasegawa, who has since moved up in weight and claimed a featherweight belt.

But Donaire, 28, is another formidable opponent. The former flyweight titleholder lost his second pro fight in 2001 and hasn't lost since as he worked his way up the pound-for-pound list with several impressive victories, such as his flyweight title-winning knockout of Vic Darchinyan in 2007 and his fourth-round destruction of former bantamweight titlist Wladimir Sidorenko in December.

"He did impress me," Montiel said of Donaire's domination of Sidorenko. "He looked really great against Sidorenko, but I'm not Sidorenko. Sidorenko just stood there in front of him, and I think you have to take that into consideration too. I am not going to be standing in front of him. I'm going to be moving around and I'll be doing my job too. I think our styles match real well and it's going to be a good fight.

"He is obviously a fighter that has a lot of speed. He moves around the ring and is an intelligent fighter. The question to me is what is going to happen when he fights a guy that is just as intelligent, just as strong and just as good as he is? That is the question -- when he fights someone that is equal to him. I think it's the first time he will find a fighter that is just as good as he is."

While Montiel aspires to make Mexican boxing history by eventually winning a belt in a fourth weight class, Donaire aspires to the accomplishments of Pacquiao, who has won titles in a record eight weight classes.

Donaire won his first title at flyweight, the same division as Pacquiao.

"He is definitely an inspiration in my career -- an inspiration in boxing and how I want to be," Donaire said of Pacquiao. "I am inspired to see no impossibility. To get to 130 pounds or even more. To keep going. That's what he wants me to do, keep moving my feet to see how far I can go."

If Donaire wins, he said he also will probably move up in weight to try to get the most out of his ability and to continue his attempt at following in Pacquiao's footsteps.

He said he loves when he is mentioned along with Pacquiao.

"I embrace it. Manny Pacquiao is one of the greatest in the history of boxing," Donaire said. "What he has accomplished is incredible and beyond a lot of people. For me to even be compared to him or be [ranked] behind him, that's a great thing. That's an achievement.

"I'm going to try my best to win as many titles as I can. Manny keeps me hungry, he keeps me going, and it keeps me motivated to keep fighting and seek the best out there and be the best."

And Donaire sure wouldn't mind if he fulfilled those goals against Mexican fighters.

Collision Course: Montiel versus Donaire

By Joseph Herron: Fighters and fight fans alike have always been a rare breed. As every second of every round ticks away, we love to see the drama of a great scrap unfold. We live to see our favorite fighters leave everything in the ring for our entertainment. If you ask any prizefighter why they have chosen this profession over everything else they could have done in life, more often than not, they will tell you, “I don’t know, boxing kind of chose me…I didn’t choose boxing…I really can’t explain it.” I guess you could say that it was simply “meant to be.” On Saturday night, February 19th, boxing fans will be treated to a fight that was simply “meant to be”.

At the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, Fernando Montiel will defend his WBO and WBC Bantamweight titles against the dangerously slick, Nonito Donaire. These two former Flyweight Champions, and current top ten P4P fighters, will collide to determine who the better man is at 118 lbs. Strangely enough, this fight will not decide complete supremacy in the Bantamweight division, despite the caliber of both fighters. The “Filipino Flash” admittedly hasn’t done enough at Bantamweight to merit legitimate superiority at 118 lbs, so the winner of this bout will more than likely have to eventually face the victor of the Mares/Agbeko match-up later this year. Most boxing scribes view this to be a mere technicality.

Fernando Montiel and Nonito Donaire are two elite level prizefighters who are considered to be two of the best in the business, and for our enjoyment will “face off” this Saturday night. What makes this fight so intriguing? Both fight media and boxing fans around the world have been focusing on this potential match-up for years and have considered this P4P fight to be a true barber shop discussion dream match-up. Why?

Both fighters have displayed the kind of dominant performances we, as fight fans, expect from our champions, and both men have refused to walk away from the best opposition available. The boxing world knew that these two pugilists would eventually face one another...their character told us that this fight was inevitably going to happen.

“El Cochulito” hasn’t lost a fight since his split decision loss to former Bantamweight Champion, Jhonny Gonzalez, in 2006. He has not only defeated his most recent opposition, Montiel has knocked out 7 out of his last 9 opponents. At 118 lbs, this is no small feat and is definitely worth mass recognition.

The “Filipino Flash” hasn’t been defeated since 2001, when he suffered his only loss, via unanimous decision, to Rosendo Sanchez. Since defeating Vic Darchinyan by improbable and devastating knock-out in 2007, Donaire has looked, not only dominant, but unbeatable at Flyweight and Super Flyweight. In fact, during a recent fight with Mexican fighter, Hernan “Tyson” Marquez, Nonito fought the first 5 rounds of that bout in a southpaw stance to simply make the style match-up “a little more challenging”.

I guess you could make the assessment that both fighters are at the “top of their game”, and a loss for either fighter seems impossible. These two factors are why this fight is so intriguing.

This is exactly what the sport of boxing needs: two pound for pound, elite level fighters deciding to fight each other without regard to the possibility of loss. Make no mistake…one fighter will not only lose, but will more than likely get knocked out. This doesn’t seem to bother either man.

Both Donaire and Montiel realize that a potential loss does not necessarily equate to financial and professional disaster. It could actually lead to even more clout and critical demand within the sport of boxing. Boxing media and fight fans agree that a fighter who has the courage and willingness to fight the best fighters available, win or lose, should be rewarded with bigger paydays and more eventful fights. The entire sport of boxing always benefits from the unselfish and risk-taking pugilists…always.

The adverse is also true: The entire sport of boxing always suffers when the conscientious and the uneventful pugilists refuse to fight the best fighters available…always.

So on February 19th, reward the network, the promoters, and the fighters for simply making this fight happen, not only by tuning in, but by informing and encouraging others to watch this “must see” event on HBO.

Fernando Montiel and Nonito Donaire are two fighters who truly deserve this kind of attention.


O T H E R H A P P E N I N G S

Most boxing fans who bought the Pac/Margo PPV were treated to an unexpected war of attrition on the undercard between Jesus Soto Karass and Mike Jones. This Saturday, the hard headed Mexican fighter gets a chance to rectify a majority decision loss, which most felt he won, when he rematches the “fortunate to be undefeated” American prospect, Mike Jones. I think Jones learned, during their first bout, that Jesus cannot be bombed out in round number one. I don’t think M.J. is foolish enough to try again. I think Jones will elect to fight a more tactical fight and should win an easy majority decision this Saturday night. Then again, maybe he is foolish enough to try it again…more reason to tune in to HBO this Saturday!!

Tonight on “the best show on TV”, Friday Night Fights, undefeated Welterweight Shawn Porter faces Anges Adjaho on ESPN’s very first FNF 3D broadcast. If you’re fortunate enough to have the goggles, the TV, the cable box, and ESPN 3D, the telecast should be a real treat. I would really appreciate it if someone, who is fortunate enough to see this, would shoot me an email to let me know whether or not it is a worthy investment. Thanks, in advance!!

In other action, Felix Sturm will be facing American middleweight prospect Ronald Hearns this Saturday in Stuttgart, Germany. Ronald, who has 26 wins and only 1 loss, attempts to become the new WBA Middleweight Champion. Hearns comes into the bout, on average, as a 3:1 underdog, but he does possess knockout power and has 20 KOs under his belt. If “The Chosen One” does find a way to pull off the upset in Germany, it will more than likely have to come by way of knockout. Good luck, brother…you’ll need it in Deutschland!!

By the way, as a follow up of my previous article on ESB, David Rodriguez hammered Matt Hicks in two rounds to earn his 32nd win by way of knockout, improving his record to 34-0. I will keep an eye on “El Nino’s” career and keep you guys posted. Hopefully he can put some quality fighters on his resume this year. He has been brutally attacked by skeptics in the boxing media and deserves more of a fair shake than he has received. Good luck, Dave!!

Donaire: I'll knock Montiel out in 6 rounds

MANILA, Philippines – Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire said he will use his height, speed and power to beat Mexican champion Fernando Montiel on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

Donaire even said that there is a possibility that the fight won't last 6 rounds.

“Siguro, early rounds masasabi ko. Siguro before 6 [rounds, I can knock him out],” he told ABS-CBN correspondent Dyan Castillejo.

Donaire also assured his fans not to worry about the sacrifices he has to go through in making the 118-pound limit.

He said the weight loss does not weaken him as his food intake and exercise are all calculated up to the official weigh-in on Friday (Saturday in Manila).

Last bantamweight fight
Montiel, on the other hand, said that the Donaire fight will be his last in bantamweight fight, which is why he is aiming for a big win before climbing another weight class.

The Mexican said he will first defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight crowns against Donaire before entering the super bantamweight division.

The 5’4” Montiel said he is unfazed despite Donaire’s height. The Filipino Flash enjoys a 3-inch height advantage over the Mexican.
Montiel said he throws the heavier punches and has no problems facing taller fighters.

“I’m sure I can knock him out before 10 rounds,” said the Mexican.

Analysts choose

Boxing analysts have mixed forecasts about the fight.

Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole think the Filipino Flash has the tools to beat the Mexican.

“Obviously, Donaire is a little bit faster and I think he's a little bit more accurate puncher,” said Iole.

Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review, however, sees otherwise.
"I see that Montiel's experience in his weight class maybe enough to get him over the hump,” said Carp.

Oddsmakers also favor the Filipino Flash to win the fight.

A $250 bet on Donaire will yield $100 while it only takes a $100 bet for Montiel to get $210. -- With a report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News

Catch Ang Pagtutuos: Nonito Donaire vs. Fernando Montiel on Feb. 20, Sunday at 10:15 a.m. on ABS-CBN Channel 2 (replay at 11:30 p.m.) and 9 p.m. on Studio 23.

source: abs-cbnNEWS.com

Montiel eyes big KO vs Donaire

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Three-division boxing champion Fernando Montiel plans to knock out Filipino Nonito Donaire.

The “Filipino Flash” is favored in their bantamweight championship bout this Sunday, but this doesn't bother the Mexican champion. He knows what he can do.

In his 14 years as a professional boxer, Montiel has had 44 wins, 34 of them by knockout. He also has 2 losses and 2 draws.

Against Donaire, the Mexican is looking for another spectacular victory, nothing less than a knockout.

Last year, Montiel knocked out Filipino Ciso Morales in the first round.

He also KO'd Japanese Hozumi Hasegawa in front of his hometown crowd.

Montiel worked out Monday evening at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas, showing good hands speed and moving with a lot of confidence.

The Mexican says he is in top shape, both physically and mentally, for what he calls the most important fight of his career.

Donaire did half hour of roadwork Monday morning and is just as confident he can do damage on Montiel.
Nonito Donaire jogging under the hot Las Vegas sun.

Donaire says he goes to sleep visualizing what he will do come fight night. He also sees the Mexican going down.

"'Pag natutulog ako, nagti-twich and kamay ko eh," said the Filipino Flash.

"Mas magandang [maka-]knockout kasi more satisfying sa akin 'yun eh. Maganda yun kasi you'll have dalawang fighters na gustong knockout eh. So ang makikita sa laban na 'yun, action packed," he added.

Valentine’s Day in Las Vegas for Mr. and Mrs. Donaire was simple: a big bunch of red roses from hubby Nonito to wife Rachel.

With 5 days to go before the world title fight, training and preparation are still their number one priority.

Donaire and Montiel are reserving the big celebration after the fight.

source: bs-cbnNEWS.com

Boxer Nonito Donaire is big favorite Saturday

by: Vittorio Tafur, Chronicle Staff Writer

The doors opened, and the people started pushing through to get close to the ring, simply to get a good look at possibly the next big thing in boxing. Many wore "Filipino Flash" T-shirts, and more than a few brought their kids for an event that alternated between being an open workout and a block party.

The Flash - a 5-foot-7, 122-pound bantamweight from San Leandro named Nonito Donaire - shone brightly. He showed his speed and power in the training session Feb. 5 at San Carlos' Undisputed Boxing Gym, answered questions from reporters and fans, and served the hundreds of people pizza and chicken wings.

Donaire then signed autographs and posed for pictures for a couple of hours until the long line of munching fans was finished.

"It is a great day," Donaire said, "the first of many."

Donaire and his fans are planning on the next one being Saturday. That's when Donaire (25-1) fights Fernando Montiel for Montiel's WBO and WBC championship belts in Las Vegas. Ring magazine ranks Donaire as the fifth-best pound-for-pound boxer in the world (Montiel is seventh), and Donaire wants to validate that.

"A lot of people still don't know who I am," Donaire said. "This fight would show that I belong among the elite. It would skyrocket my marketability, and it would lead to even bigger fights."
A rematch - already?

Donaire, 28, is a 2-to-1 favorite over the Mexican champ, Montiel (44-2-2), who already is calling for a rematch.

"I expect a tough fight, but I also expect to win," said Montiel, who - with four knockout wins in 2010 - is no slouch. "I'm not preparing myself for one war - I'm preparing myself for two wars. I'm that sure of a rematch."

Donaire has won 24 straight matches and is taking a step up in weight class. But like Manny Pacquiao - who, like Donaire, is from General Santos City in the Philippines - Donaire said he is getting better and bigger. After getting down to 118 pounds for this fight, he could foresee a climb in weight classes similar to what Pacquiao has made.

"The more I go up in weight, the stronger I become," Donaire said. "You are going to see a better Donaire at 122 and 126 pounds. I could probably fight as heavy as 130 or 135."

The Pacquiao-Donaire comparisons would get only louder with a win Saturday.

"Pacquiao is the face of the boxing world," promoter Bob Arum said, "but right behind him in the Philippines is (Donaire). ... I will be very happy if Nonito continues to win and reaches the prominent position he is capable of.

"You couldn't duplicate Ali and you couldn't duplicate Sugar Ray Leonard, but you can forge your own story and that's what Nonito is in the process of doing. Whether it resonates as much as Pacquiao remains to be seen."

The fight at Mandalay Bay Casino is sold out and will be televised live on HBO's "Boxing After Dark."

"This is an all-or-nothing fight that no one can miss," Donaire said.

Donaire, already featured twice this month in one-hour TV shows in the Philippines, shows no signs of being nervous for his star-making turn. In fact, he looks so comfortable in the ring you would think he lives, eats and sleeps in one. And he has.
Boxing genes

Donaire's father, Nonito Sr., was an amateur fighter and from an early age, Nonito Jr. trained at the boxing club in General Santos City where Pacquiao learned his craft. Nonito Jr. came to the United States at age 11 and, while at San Lorenzo High, won the district amateur boxing championship.

His father was his trainer until an ugly split in 2008, when the young fighter got married and signed with Arum's Top Rank promotions. Nonito Sr. took some shots at his son and wife Rachelle in the Philippine papers last year, essentially blaming the breakup on her becoming business manager and being greedy.

It has become almost a soap opera in the Philippines, but Donaire said that he won't address it again until after the fight and that his dad has his phone number if he wants to talk.

"All my attention has to be on Montiel," Donaire said. "He is the best fighter I have ever gone against. I have been working very, very hard, and I am going to knock him out."

Life And Boxing: A Look Into Donaire Jr. Versus Montiel

When the time comes for you to step in you know you are in it on your own and all the people you trust for guidance are backed up behind you knowing what you must do once you get into that sacred place must be done by you and you alone. Nobody does the fighting for you. You step inside with the knowledge that one can only be as strong as the values upon which a man is built that have been gathered and molded from sacrifice. For life is a journey full of sacrifices, and the ideals you pick up along the way will be the only tools that’d get you through if you possess the knowledge and wisdom when and how to use them.

Boxing is about hard work and the boxing ring, like life itself is a lonely place when it matters most. Facing one’s true challenge in his finest hour may be a metaphor to meeting one’s creator where one succeeds by his own credit. It’s quite scary if you really think of it and your performance is a testament of who you are as a man and fighter. It’s how you make it. Boxing in a strange way is a reflection life.

If Floyd Mayweather Jr. is content that his undefeated record is enough to substantiate his boxing legacy, then so be it. It’s his life. It’s his call. If some other boxer out there picks a bigger purse over a chance for a crucial fight that could truly define his career no authority in the sport is ever going to stop him, after all this is why it’s called prizefighting. The fans may judge him harshly for such a decision and call him names, but technically there would be nothing wrong with it- technically. Technically, it’s all about career investment and setting your priorities straight. But what I’m saying is we, the fans, were hoping that one would have a higher standard than just living to the minimum and just standing safely few inches behind that thin line of legality. Like the many beloved boxers way back in the sport’s colorful past one could only hope more prizefighters nowadays would come forward to step up and declare themselves as being true warriors and take that ultimate challenge for a shot at greatness. After all, isn’t greatness an eternal prize beyond monetary value? In life, rather than basking in complacency, those who truly live are those who dare live to the fullest.

Perhaps it is for this reason that Pound 4 Pound numero uno, Manny Pacquiao is so popular and loved the world over. He keeps pushing himself beyond his known limits. This guy is just pushing it to the point of being scary at times fighting foes way much bigger than himself. It keeps the fans who watch him locked on their seats or feeling like they’re standing on the edge of a cliff. His life is like a movie but it’s real. It’s surreal. While some fighters out there stand behind potshotting negotiations to the bitter end or fighting lesser fights, this guy some have called a midget among other many names is breaking barriers, backing up bigger guys and subjecting them to a beat-down. Technically, for true fans of an action sport, how can one not love that?

Another fighter that’s been calling out the big names for quite some time just to force some action going his way is Filipino boxing star, Nonito Donaire Jr. While some fighters are afraid to fight him as I’ve previously written (check:Nonito Donaire Jr- A Bad Case of Being Too Good), Nonito, on the other hand, fights like he’s got nothing to lose. But this time it appears that all that name-calling and public challenges have finally paid off as Top Rank has scheduled him to face his truest test yet, the WBO and WBC Bantamweight champion from Sinaloa, Mexico, Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel on February 19, 2011.

Montiel has fought tough opposition to get to his current spot, even ending the five year terror reign of Japanese champion Hozumi Hasegawa in Tokyo, Japan. He is also ranked number seven in the world by The Ring Magazine. But it appears that Nonito Donaire Jr. would have none of that as he prepares for this fight and have just recently declared himself fit to go.

Montiel has proven himself to be a very stable fighter over the years. In all his fights he seems to always have that strength and power to overwhelm his opponents as he continuously stalks them, throwing accurate punches, loves to fight toe to toe. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him erratic whenever he steps in the ring. I think one of the reasons why he has so much power is because he plants his feet well on the ground that aid his strong upper body structure. He does not move around very well and performs his best against fighters who slug it out. The way I see it, Montiel is someone you wouldn’t want to stand in front of and trade punches with or he’ll throw you shots that are as hard as bricks.

Whatever the game plan Coach Robert Garcia has planned for this fight I think Nonito Donaire Jr. is capable of executing it very well. One key attribute about “The Filipino Flash” as a fighter is his versatility- a quality that’s likely to be highlighted to work toward his advantage when he faces a solid gladiator like Montiel. Whether they decide to use his height and range advantage, box him from a distance or blast him from within, the multi-faceted, highly skilled Nonito Donaire should be able to quickly shift in style if needed even on very short notice. He can quickly adapt to various situations. Montiel on the other hand is rock hard but seemingly limited in spite his stable nature. In fact, one might say he is efficient at what he does, but is quite predictable. You really wouldn’t expect to see him doing something different in terms of style. The key is to understand how he attacks and familiarize his reactions, and you might as well have gotten control over the fight. Of course, dominating him is another matter. Having control over the course of a fight, however, gives you a vital edge.

One of the few things I’ve noticed about Montiel is his tendency to commit mistakes with his footwork, which might seem minimal, nevertheless one should remember that being caught with a punch while stepping in with a wrong foot could easily put a fighter off-balance and easy to knockdown. Regardless if he gets hurt or merely thrown off-balance a knockdown is still a knockdown, and Donaire could take advantage of Montiel’s errors as Hasegawa did before Montiel’s power took the best of him. At times his right foot follows through each time he throws a right uppercut or a hard straight right hand leaving him in an odd position as if he intends to shift to Southpaw stance in the middle of an exchange, leaving him flatfooted. He fights in an awkward posture, sometimes looking like a throwback fighter from the old days that stand up straight as if calling for wicked body shots, not much bend on his knees, and has a habit of not tucking his chin at times. He may be strong and powerful but you’ll notice he does not have a snap-back with his jab which leaves him open for quick counters. Meanwhile, Nonito has that cunning ability to time his opponents. He is a wonderful counter-puncher naturally blessed with superb hand speed- all these on top of his overall versatility. I haven’t seen a Filipino fighter with such beautiful form and balance as him. Apart from being relatively tall for his division, he spreads out his stance, has beautiful placement that complements a swift footwork and long reach.

Technically, a perfect record easily tells you’re a winner. But the glory goes to the ones with heart.

By Mark F. Villanueva
PhilBoxing.com

Donaire wants to go for early kill vs Montiel

More than his stunning win over Vic Darchinyan four years ago, Nonito Donaire considers his coming 12-round title fight with Mexican Fernando Montiel as the one that will define his boxing career.

"I’m taking on a great champion and I’m going to prove where I stand in boxing," vowed the soft-spoken former world flyweight champion during the formal announcement of his Feb. 19 championship bout with Montiel Monday in Las Vegas for the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight belts.

Donaire barged into big-time boxing when he dealt the brash and fearsome Vic Darchinyan his first career loss — a stunning fifth round knockout at Bridgeport, USA — to wrest the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight crown.

The 28-year-old Filipino was then a 7-1 underdog to beat Darchinyan in the fight adjudged as the `Knockout and Upset of the Year’.

But in facing Montiel, the tide has been reversed as the Filipino born in Taliban, Bohol is installed a 2-1 favorite owing to his sensational fourth round demolition of former bantamweight titlist Wladimir Sidorenko in Anaheim, California last month.

Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs) has now won eight of his last nine fights by way of knockout.

And he vows to add Montiel, 31, to his growing list of victims.

“It will not go 12 rounds. I have power. He has power. I want to win by knockout. He wants to win by knockout," Donaire noted.

Montiel is not a bit perturbed by the growing reputation of Donaire as one of the best bantamweights — and pound-for-pound fighter for that matter — in the sport today.

“This is the kind of fight that motivates me," said the Mexican champion, who is coming off a second-round knockout of Jovanny Soto also in December in his final tune-up before taking on Donaire.

“I am not worried about Nonito being the favorite. You should run to the sports book and bet on me. It is a very important fight for me and a great opportunity to prove that I am one of the best fighters in the world. I expect a tough fight, but I also expect to win."

Just one of four Mexican fighters to win world titles in three different weight divisions after Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera, Montiel (43-2-2, 33 KOs) was also an underdog when he invaded Japan last April to defend his titles against Hozumi Hasegawa.

Trailing on all three scorecards after three rounds, Montiel proceeded to stop Hasegawa in the fourth to grab the WBC version of the 118-pound title.

“We don't worry about odds. We were a 3-to-1 underdog in Japan when Fernando won a world title," noted Fernando Beltran, who co-promotes Montiel, winner of world titles at junior bantamweight and flyweight.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum sees the fight going down as one of the best in boxing’s lower weight division.

Arum even boasted that the fight has the potential to follow the path of the action-packed world junior flyweight title bout between Michael Carbajal and the legendary Humberto Gonzales in 1993 at the Las Vegas Hilton, which Carbajal won with a 7th round knockout after being down in the second and fifth rounds.

“Eighteen years ago, I promoted a fight with two 108-pound world champions which was one of the greatest events I ever promoted," said Arum of that memorable championship match in the early '90s.

“It proved to everyone that dynamite can come in all sizes and packages. Montiel vs. Donaire will feature a match-up between two hard-punching bantamweights that is every bit as explosive as Carbajal-Gonzalez. It's a can't-miss fight, and the fans will be assured of seeing a dynamite event." - KY, RCJ, GMANews.TV

Warning for Donaire: Montiel Will Knock You Out

Freddie Roach recently made comments warning Nonito Donaire about Montiel, not to take the fight so lightly because Montiel knows how to win. Roach gave Nonito a 50/50 chance of winning the fight. Freddie Roach’s warning probably didn’t go far enough; Donaire should be warned that he is at high risk of getting knocked out by the merciless finisher Montiel. This is the heavy reason why Donaire will more likely lose the fight by knockout: Weight problems are catching up with Donaire. Donaire himself has admitted that after the fight with Montiel, he plans to move up to a higher division.


Donaire has been milking the advantage of ballooning up after weigh-ins to beat much smaller ham and egg palookas, but that is getting harder to do, he is being forced by nature to move up to higher weight divisions, it will be hard for him to make even the super bantamweight division, but if he moves to the featherweight division he has zero chances against the monsters there, Juan Manual Lopez, and Yuriorkis Gamboa. Donaire can try to hide in the super bantamweight division and fight obscure easy opponents, but no one in the United States will want to watch those fights. Donaire will have to move to Japan where he will have a better market for those types of fights and will be forgotten in America like another Jorge Linares.

If you mix Donaire’s weight problems with the fact that Fernando Montiel is at the peak of his boxing career then you have a recipe for Donaire to get knocked out. Donaire is going to have to starve and dehydrate himself to make the weight for the fight with Montiel. Nonito will balloon-up after the weigh-in, but he is no longer 20 years old, his body will not be able to rehydrate well and adjust to the big weight gain after he balloons up. Donaire will enter the fight emaciated, pale, on tooth pick legs, his jaw will be an easy victim for a bone shattering Montiel hook. If Donaire decides to run, it will do him no good, Montiel knows how to cut off the ring, Montiel eventually will bring down the wobbly legged Donaire.

Although this writer agrees that Nonito Donaire is the best skilled Filipino boxer of today, it is also true that Donaire’s status is based mostly on his ability to manipulate his weight in order to fight smaller fighters lacking any boxing skills. The only true accomplishment of Donaire is his win over Vic Darchinyan, other than that his exploits are empty vain talk by media whores who sell themselves out for money to promote certain fighters like Khan, Pacquiao. Donaire until now has wasted his career in hiding from big fights; time is catching up with him and he has finally decided to take a risk in fighting Fernando Montiel. Win or lose the prospects are not good for Donaire, if he moves up to super bantamweight he will still have problems making weight and will have to fight in Japan, the only ones interested in that weight class are the Japanese, and if he moves up to his natural weight, the featherweight division, he has null chances against the fighters there. To this writer it seems that after the Montiel fight, Nonito Donaire’s career in boxing is pretty much over. Of course he can continue fighting palookas, but in the sense of doing anything great in boxing after the Montiel fight, Donaire is done.

Montiel vs Donaire: What will Nonito’s reaction be when Fernando tags him hard?

Nonito Donaire (25-1, 17 KO’s) is good at dishing out punishment with left hooks and right hands to the head, but he’s a lot different fighter when he starts getting hit hard. This was the case when he took on Rafael Concepcion in August 2009. Concepcion figured out how to batter Donaire by rushing forward and blasting away on the inside, and Donaire had no defense nor any answer to that style of fighting.

On February 19th, Donaire, 28, is going to be facing a much bigger puncher than Concepcion in 31-year-old WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KO’s) in a fight that will be taking place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. I expect Montiel to be able to blast Donaire into small pieces of rubble in the same way that Montiel was able to destroy Concepcion in three easy rounds earlier this year in July. This was the same Concepcion that Donaire went life and death with.


I think Donaire will do just fine as long as he doesn’t get hit the fight. However, once Montiel starts putting hands on Donaire, the fight is going to evolve into something much more similar to the Donaire-Concepcion fight where Donaire will start looking like a timid rabbit, and will start running laps round the ring nonstop while trying to avoid tasting any more of Montiel’s big right hands and left hooks.

Montiel is the type of fighter where you can’t let him hit you at all, because he simply hits way too hard to remain standing for long once he starts connecting. His power reduces his opponents into fleeing little rabbits, and I expect that’s what Donaire will resemble once Montiel revs up his offense and starts landing. Like I said, Donaire can dish it out but he can’t take shots well, and seems to stress out when he gets hit had with a flush shots to the face. He backs up and gets a panicky look on his face and starts with the old lateral movement around the ring to prevent getting hit again.