It?s not surprising that Fernando Montiel, well into his fourteenth year as professional, is still a major force in the boxing world. The Sinaloa, Mexico native has a rare blend of physical gifts and boxing acumen that has served as the foundation towards his three division championship run in the sport. At the age of 31, when most fighters in the lower weight classes are either well on the downside or at least beginning to slip, Montiel seems to have plenty left in his tank as evidenced by his 2010 campaign thus far.
Montiel?s first championship taste came in December of 2000 as he stopped Isidro Garcia in the seventh round to claim the WBO flyweight title but his coming out party wasn?t until a year and a half later. Moving up in weight, Montiel would meet up with unbeaten Pedro Alcazar at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas underneath the second battle between fierce rivals Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. Montiel was attempting to take away the Panamanian?s WBO super flyweight crown and he would end up dazzling us along the way.
Showing deft lateral movement, quickness and the ability to throw beautiful combinations at a rapid clip, Montiel dominated Alcazar from round one on. It was a benchmark performance with Montiel scoring a stoppage as referee Kenny Bayless deemed Alcazar unable to continue in the 6th round after suffering a barrage of body blows. It should be noted that Alcazar would collapse in his hotel room following the bout and die two days later, but it will always be that performance from Montiel that served as his introduction into the upper echelon of the sport.
As the years passed by Montiel?s career would have it?s up and down moments as decision losses to Mark ?Too Sharp? Johnson and Jhonny Gonzalez certainly set him back a few steps. In September of last year Montiel offered up a disappointing performance against Alejando Valdez in Nayarit, Mexico in which he was dropped in the second round while being seemingly overwhelmed by his southpaw foe?s superior size. The fight would eventually be stopped in the 3rd round due to a cut suffered over Montiel?s left eye and he seemed fortunate to escape with a technical draw.
Speaking at the Hilton in Las Vegas earlier this year in advance of his bout with undefeated Ciso Morales, Montiel spoke adamantly about trying to put the Valdez performance behind him and coming out strong for this year. So far Montiel?s words have rang true as he has produced nothing but scintillating stoppages over the past eight months.
In February Montiel simply proved to be too classy for Morales, dropping the ambitious 22-year old in the first with a wicked body shot. His next fight was an upset knockout over WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa in which he iced the champion with a pair of chilling left hooks. And in July Montiel was equally dominant in blitzing game but overmatched Panamanian Rafael Concepcion in three rounds in Chiapas, Mexico.
One week prior to the Concepcion blowout, Bohol, Philippines native and interim WBA super flyweight king Nonito Donaire scored a thrilling knockout over Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez in Puerto Rico to create more interest in a possible fight between the two men. Promoter Bob Arum seemed keen on matching the two pugilists up this winter but in an unfortunate turns of events it looks as though they will be heading in separate directions.
Montiel is slated for an October 30th appearance in Columbia and initially interim champion Eric Morel, coming off of a controversial decision over Gerry Penalosa earlier this year, was rumored. Morel would end up vacating his title to pursue other options while Montiel was too busy calling out arrogant Armenian Vic Darchinyan to really focus on the fight that matters most, a clash with Donaire.
As for the 27-year old Donaire, he is now slated for a December 4th date with former champion Wladimir Sidorenko as a key attraction to the Latin Fury event headlined by Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Alfonso Gomez in Anaheim, California. Not a bad fight but certainly not enticing as a Donaire-Montiel collision.
It still remains to be seen who Montiel will be facing on the 30th and what 2011 has in store for him but for the moment he has found a way to put his name back in the headlines. But with so many great fights to be made near his weight class, as evidenced by Showtime?s upcoming bantamweight tournament, Montiel is clearly in a position to control his own destiny and finish his career with a bang. Let?s just hope he makes the right decision.
Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at
