Gorres-Montiel duel tentatively set December 9

Z "The Dream" Gorres' mandatory shot at the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super flyweight title against Mexican Fernando "Cochulito" Montiel might be held on December 9 or a week earlier than the original December 15 date.

ALA Boxing Club top honcho Antonio "Bidoy" L. Aldeguer told The Freeman yesterday that he was informed on this development by no less than Golden Boy Promotions vice president and international matchmaker Eric Gomez and WBO Asia-Pacific chairman Leon Panuncillo. Aldeguer said the venue will be announced at the soonest possible time.

"Eric Gomez of GBP (Golden Boy Promotions) and Leon Panuncillo informed us that Z Gorres' title fight might be held on December 9 instead of December 15. No venue has been announced," Aldeguer relayed via text message.

The Gorres-Montiel title showdown has been approved by the WBO during its annual convention held on a cruise ship currently sailing off the waters in Bahamas and bound for Conzumel in Mexico.

Gorres, who relinquished his OPBF flyweight throne to campaign in the jr bantamweight ranks, carries a 26-1-1 win-loss record with 14KOs, while the 27-year-old Montiel, Gorres' three years senior, sports a 32-2-1 ledger with 24KOs.

This will be Montiel's third defense since regaining his WBO 115-pound belt with a seventh round knockout of Ivan Hernandez on April 9 last year at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.

In his previous bout, Montiel vied for the WBO bantamweight crown but lost by split decision to Jhonny Gonzalez last May 27 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

Incidentally, Gorres fought against Pedro Rincon Miranda of Colombia in the undercard of Montiel-Gonzalez duel.

In a fine display of technical fighting skills, Gorres knocked down Miranda in rounds one, five and 10th on the way to a lopsided unanimous decision victory.

The three judges had uniform scores of 100-87 for the slippery Mandaue City fighter.