While last night’s Amir Khan-Marcos Maidana WBA junior welterweight title bout at the Mandalay Bay may not have been as jam-packed as many would have hoped, with an estimated 4,632 partisans in the building, all one had to do was make a couple of rounds ringside to get a feel for all of the boxing personalities in the house. Fellow junior welterweight champions Devon Alexander and Timothy Bradley were ringside scouting the competition. The two men have a January 29th bout of their own lined up at the Silverdome near Detroit, Michigan and one can only imagine the thoughts that were floating through their heads during the thrilling battle.
<--- Slideshow: Ringside shots of Donaire and other stars at the Mandalay Bay
Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez, fresh off of a convincing unanimous decision over Lovemore N?dou last month in Veracruz, Mexico, Mexico, could be seen amidst of sea of fans.
WBA heavyweight champion David Haye spent much time speaking with the press and addressing questions about his future.
Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez, still basking in the glow of his crushing knockout over Paul Williams, was present with his manager Sampson Lewkowicz. The advisor from Uruguay also handles business for lightweight contender Michael Katsidis, who could be found a few seats back towards the other side of the ring..
Perhaps the most talented of the bunch was former flyweight champion Nonito Donaire, who thoroughly crushed former WBA champion Wladimir Sidorenko last week in Anaheim, California. Immediately after his blowout of the tough Ukrainian, a contest in which he registered three knockdowns in scoring a fourth-round stoppage, Donaire immediately began eyeing a hopeful February 19th date with WBC and WBO titleholder Fernando Montiel.
On Friday night Montiel did his part in helping pave the way towards the bout?s fruition by blasting out journeyman Giovani Soto in two rounds in Saltillo, Mexico. Following the contest Montiel showed a verbally aggressive side of himself but saying that he was fully ready to show that he was better than Donaire.
Asked for his thoughts on Montiel?s banter, Donaire simply grinned.
?That?s what he needs to do,? Donaire said. ?It?s time to prove it. That?s what I?m doing, the same thing. I?m going to prove that I?m better than him. I feel that I am better than him and it?s going to be good. I?m waiting. I?m excited and this is the fight I want.?
Before Donaire can get ready for Montiel he has to break to the Philippines, a trip that he is likely in the middle of right now, so that he can attend his countryman Manny Pacquiao?s 32nd birthday and handle some other business. Speaking on yet another voyage back home, you can tell what is really on Donaire?s mind these days.
?I?m excited, man. I?m very, very, very excited and I can?t wait to come back and start training again.?
