Donaire-Montiel: Fernando will knock Nonito off The Ring’s pound-for-pound list

By Boxing News - 01/08/2011 - Comments

Image: Donaire-Montiel: Fernando will knock Nonito off The Ring's pound-for-pound listBy Dave Lahr: Former IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire (25-1, 17 KO’s) is currently at the number #5 spot for The Ring’s pound-for-pound rankings, whereas his February 19th opponent WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KO’s) is at the number #7 spot. I expect those rankings to be changed dramatically after they face each other at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Donaire is going to get badly exposed by Montiel and end up flat on his back and bleeding badly. Donaire, 28, has faced no one remotely as powerful as Montiel, and has been able to capitalize on beating a bunch of contenders who were not much of a threat to him.

I give Donaire credit for beating Vic Darchinyan, but that was more of a surprise knockout than one that proved that Donaire is a great fighter. That was pretty much proven when Darchinyan was staggered in his very next fight against the weak punching Federico Catubay in October 2007.

Donaire is got a real beating coming to him by Montiel on February 19th and there’s little Donaire can do to avoid that reality from happening. It comes down to this: If Donaire steps foot in the ring with Montiel, he can either run for his life for 12 rounds and accept losing by a lopsided 12 round decision or he can elect to trade with Montiel and end up suffering a one punch knockout defeat.

It’s Donaire’s choice. I expect him to opt to run and try to save his hide by finishing on his feet, albeit in a less than courageous manner. We can already predict what Donaire will do by looking at his fight with Rafael Concepcion, a fighter with power and a fighting style much like Montiel.

Donaire couldn’t handle his power after trying to trade with him for two or three rounds and getting bruise and battered. Donaire then chose to run and win a narrow decision. I scored it a draw. The thing is Montiel is a bigger puncher than Concepcion so that when Donaire makes the mistake of trying to trade with him early on, we could end up seeing a quick knockout win for Montiel.



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