Donaire-Montiel: February 19th will be a sad day for Nonito fans

By Boxing News - 01/02/2011 - Comments

By Dave Lahr: On February 19th, I see a lot of fans of Nonito Donaire (25-1, 17 KO’s) in mourning for their hero after he gets pounded by WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KO’s) in their fight at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is going to be one of those beatings where Donaire will be wondering where he’s at afterwords as he’s woken up from being knocked out by Montiel.

The first part of this fight will be frustrating to watch, because Montiel will very likely have to chase the skinny Donaire around the ring trying to get him to engage. If you’re used to seeing Donaire fire power shots, you best not watch this fight. Instead, take a look at Donaire’s fight against Rafael Concepcion from a year ago if you want a hint of what Donaire will be doing against the powerful Montiel.

Oh, I expect Donaire to start well in the 1st round, but once he gets hit hard early in the 1st, you’re going to see Donaire put on his track shoes and start with the running around the ring in order to survive from getting knocked out. I really can’t blame the guy. When you got a fighter like Montiel, who has one punch power, anyone would run from him.

One fighter that didn’t run was the dangerous World Boxing Council bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa. He made the big mistake of going right after Montiel last year, and he paid for it by getting stopped in the 4th round after getting badly hurt by a big right hand from Montiel. I don’t think Donaire will be foolish enough to think he can actually take the fight to Montiel for any length of time. Instead, we’re going to see Donaire get hit early, not like it, and start sprinting like no tomorrow. Eventually, Montiel will catch up to Donaire and put his lights out. In a way it will be better for him that the end will come quickly, because it would be just too brutal if Montiel were to be allowed to pound on Donaire for 12 rounds consecutively.



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