By Gerardo Granados: Everybody is entitle to his own opinion but I think that fellow Boxingnews24 writer Scott Gilfoid might have rushed to write off Kochulito Montiel before he fights IBF featherweight title holder Lee Selby next October 14. I am willing to bet to Mr. Gilfoid 3 to 1 that Fernando Montiel will win; if I lose I won’t write or post any article for three months and if Gilfoid loses then he doesn’t gets to write or post for only one month.
This bout isn’t only the first defense of Selby´s IBF feather belt; it is also the last chance that Montiel might get to win his fourth divisional title which would allow him to become only the fourth Mexican fighter to achieve such feat.
Back in April 11 of 2011 I wrote an article titled “Will Marcos Maidana destroy Erik Morales? And back then almost no one gave a chance to Morales to win but I did, its true Terrible lost but it wasn’t an easy fight for Maidana at all, and some even saw Morales win that night. This bout between Selby and Montiel is pretty much the same.
Size by its own is not a key factor; there have been many short featherweights who have become great champions: Willie Pep was only 5´5”, Vicente Saldivar 5´3”, Sugar Ramos 5´4 ½ “, Naseem Hamed 5´4 ½ “ and Azumah Nelson 5´5”.
Age can be a factor; but for those veteran fighters who stay in shape between bouts and who have not been badly punished in their careers so it can’t determine if the young fighter have the edge. For instance Roberto Duran was 37 when he beat a younger 28 years old Iran Barkley to win the WBC middleweight title, Daniel Zaragoza was 37 when he beat 29 years old Hector Acero Sanchez to win the WBC super bantam title and Azumah Nelson was 37 when he beat a much younger 25 year old Gabe Ruelas to regain the WBC super feather title.
I am going to bet on Montiel because I am a fan of him but I don’t blind myself and know that if Kochulito´s legs are shot then he is into a rough night and would lose a lopsided decision to hungry young lion Lee Selby.
Selby is young but hasn’t face the quality of opposition Montiel has; although Lee is skilled, has the height and reach advantage and could try to outbox out punch out work on the long distance and impose a high pace during the full twelve rounds to win a clear decision.
While Montiel´s experience might be his most dangerous weapon against a young untested boxer, Selby just defeated Evgeny Gradovich by a technical decision and this will be only his second world title bout. Besides his epic KO loss to Nonito Donaire whom by then was considered the best bantamweight in the planet Kochulito has been competitive at the top level.
Montiel holds a title fight record of W17(13)-L3-D0; holds a fight record against current/former champions of W11(8)-L4-D0; Kochulito is a former WBO flyweight (twice), WBO super flyweight and WBC-WBO bantamweight.
His notable victories came against: Cruz Carbajal WBO bantam, Isidro Garcia WBO fly, Juan Domingo Cordova WBO light fly, Jose Lopez WBO super fly, Pedro Alcazar WBO super fly, Ruben Sanchez Leon WBO fly, Ivan Hernandez WBO super fly, Martin Castillo WBA super fly, Juan Alberto Rosas IBF super fly, Hozumi Hasegawa WBC feather – bantam and Cristobal Cruz IBF feather.
Lost to: Marc Johnson IBF fly and IBF-WBO super fly; Jhonny Gonzalez WBO bantam – WBC feather; Nonito Donaire IBF fly, WBC-WBO bantam, IBF-WBO super bantam and WBA feather; Victor Terrazas WBC super bantam.
I am certain this is a competitive bout and also that both fighters will hear the warriors call to battle and also that this one has the potential of a fight of the year nominee.
But what about the reader; is this a competitive bout for you?
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