Gamer
01-12-2011, 11:43 PM
c/p By Mark Staniforth
Boxing ended 2010 mired in what-might-have-been's following the respective failures of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, and David Haye and the Klitschko brothers, to sign for fights the public craved.
But if the early success of 2011 is anything to go by, it could turn out to be quite a new year.
The pay-per-view season will reopen on February 19 with a world bantamweight title clash between Fernando Montiel and Nonito Donaire.
They may not hit global headlines, but Montiel and Donaire are two of the best fighters in the business, and their meeting - for Montiel's WBC and WBO crowns - has been mooted ever since Donaire swept to fame as a flyweight in 2007.
Each boasts a long unbeaten streak and a reputation as a ferocious puncher. Montiel has stopped 34 of his 46 opponents inside the distance. Donaire has just one blot on his 26 fight record, and has won 17 of those early.
They are phenomenal knockout ratios by any standards, let alone at such a lighter weight. Already their clash is being compared to the epic Barrera-Morales trilogy, or the light-flyweight saga involving Michael Carbajal and Humberto Gonzalez.
Montiel is a Mexican warrior in the best traditions of his proud fighting nation. He was named the Press Association's world fighter of the year in 2010 after four straight knockout wins, none of which lasted long enough to hear the bell for round five.
Among them was a trip to Japan to face the then reigning WBC champion Hozumi Hasegawa. Hasegawa had not lost in nine years, and stopped his previous five opponents. Montiel, the underdog, blew Hasegawa away in round four.
"I'm glad we're finally getting to meet," said the likeable, 30-year-old Montiel this week. "I've always been willing to fight the best fighters and I had a very good year last year.
"This 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. I have been underdog before and it doesn't bother me."
Filipino Donaire built his reputation around a stunning fifth round knockout of the brash and apparently invincible Australian Vic Darchinyan in an IBF flyweight title challenge in 2007.
Despite frequent attempts, a big-money rematch never came off and Donaire elected to fight his way through the weights, always with Montiel in mind.
In his bantamweight debut in December, he hammered Volodymyr Sydorenko in four.
That win over Darchinyan is what makes Donaire the headline man for this promotion, which fittingly will take place at the widely regarded new home of elite Las Vegas boxing, the Mandalay Bay.
"It's going to be a tremendous fight," said Donaire, another respectful character who admits to being personable with Montiel away from the ring.
"You'll get guys with power, speed, intelligence and hunger. It's not going to go 12 rounds.
"My name is out there, but I think I need this name [Montiel] and this victory will propel me to better fights and a better future in boxing. It's my power against his power, and someone is going to get knocked out."
The early money is going on Donaire, largely on account of the manner of his win over Darchinyan, but Montiel, a fully-fledged bantamweight, will come to the ring with a power the Filipino has not felt before.
"Montiel is a destroyer," says WBC president Jose Sulaiman. "His punches can annihilate anyone. It will be a great fight from the first round to the end."
For once, one of boxing's much-maligned politicians seems to have got it spot on.
Boxing ended 2010 mired in what-might-have-been's following the respective failures of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, and David Haye and the Klitschko brothers, to sign for fights the public craved.
But if the early success of 2011 is anything to go by, it could turn out to be quite a new year.
The pay-per-view season will reopen on February 19 with a world bantamweight title clash between Fernando Montiel and Nonito Donaire.
They may not hit global headlines, but Montiel and Donaire are two of the best fighters in the business, and their meeting - for Montiel's WBC and WBO crowns - has been mooted ever since Donaire swept to fame as a flyweight in 2007.
Each boasts a long unbeaten streak and a reputation as a ferocious puncher. Montiel has stopped 34 of his 46 opponents inside the distance. Donaire has just one blot on his 26 fight record, and has won 17 of those early.
They are phenomenal knockout ratios by any standards, let alone at such a lighter weight. Already their clash is being compared to the epic Barrera-Morales trilogy, or the light-flyweight saga involving Michael Carbajal and Humberto Gonzalez.
Montiel is a Mexican warrior in the best traditions of his proud fighting nation. He was named the Press Association's world fighter of the year in 2010 after four straight knockout wins, none of which lasted long enough to hear the bell for round five.
Among them was a trip to Japan to face the then reigning WBC champion Hozumi Hasegawa. Hasegawa had not lost in nine years, and stopped his previous five opponents. Montiel, the underdog, blew Hasegawa away in round four.
"I'm glad we're finally getting to meet," said the likeable, 30-year-old Montiel this week. "I've always been willing to fight the best fighters and I had a very good year last year.
"This 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. I have been underdog before and it doesn't bother me."
Filipino Donaire built his reputation around a stunning fifth round knockout of the brash and apparently invincible Australian Vic Darchinyan in an IBF flyweight title challenge in 2007.
Despite frequent attempts, a big-money rematch never came off and Donaire elected to fight his way through the weights, always with Montiel in mind.
In his bantamweight debut in December, he hammered Volodymyr Sydorenko in four.
That win over Darchinyan is what makes Donaire the headline man for this promotion, which fittingly will take place at the widely regarded new home of elite Las Vegas boxing, the Mandalay Bay.
"It's going to be a tremendous fight," said Donaire, another respectful character who admits to being personable with Montiel away from the ring.
"You'll get guys with power, speed, intelligence and hunger. It's not going to go 12 rounds.
"My name is out there, but I think I need this name [Montiel] and this victory will propel me to better fights and a better future in boxing. It's my power against his power, and someone is going to get knocked out."
The early money is going on Donaire, largely on account of the manner of his win over Darchinyan, but Montiel, a fully-fledged bantamweight, will come to the ring with a power the Filipino has not felt before.
"Montiel is a destroyer," says WBC president Jose Sulaiman. "His punches can annihilate anyone. It will be a great fight from the first round to the end."
For once, one of boxing's much-maligned politicians seems to have got it spot on.