While recuperating from a dirt bike crash which left him with an injured right leg and cancelled a planned November fight against Filipino Nonito Donaire,World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title holder Fernando Montiel (43-2-2, 33 KOs) is planning a jump to the super bantamweight division.
During the first day of proceedings at the WBO’s annual convention being held in Cartegena, Colombia, it was announced the Montiel (Los Mochis, Sinaola, Mexico) had requested to challenge the organization’s super bantamweight champions Wilfredo Vazquez Junior (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) during the 2011 year.
It has been rumored that Montiel could return to the ring in December of this year to face Alejandro Valdez (22-4-3, 16 KOs) in a rematch of their September, 2009 scrap which ended as a technical draw due to a questionable stoppage.
If one were to believe promoter Bob Arum, Montiel is already programmed for a February 19, 2011 bout against Donaire (24-1, 16 KOs) in Las Vegas, Nevada and to be broadcast by American cable giant HBO.
Yet with a potentially busy four months ahead, for some reason, Montiel is focused on Vazquez (20-0, 17 KOs). This news could alarm fans as to the probability of a Montiel – Donaire bout – the most awaited clash within boxing’s lower weight classes during the last two years.
A Montiel victory over Vazquez for the WBO title would mark the fourth weight class in which Cochulito would have held a world title – a first for any Mexican fighter in the history of boxing.
