MANILA, Philippines - Payag na si Mexican world bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel na makasagupa si interim super fyweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, Jr.
Sa panayam ng BoxingScene.com kahapon, sinabi ng 31-anyos na si Montiel na ang 27-anyos na si Donaire lamang ang nakikita niyang pinakakuwalipikadong makakaharap niya sa ibabaw ng boxing ring.
“The thing is this, not everyone who want my belts will be in the tournament (bantamweight division) , and then it makes it difficult for them to challenge me,” ani Montiel. “I want the big fights and Nonito is with Top Rank (Promotions) as I am and there is a big possibility that fight will happen.”
Si Montiel ang kasalukuyang kampeon sa bantamweight class ng World Boxing Council (WBC) at World Boxing Organization (WBO).
Nanggaling naman si Donaire sa isang eight-round TKO win kay Mexican challenger Hernan “Tyson” Marquez noong Hulyo 10 sa Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot sa Hato Rey, Puerto Rico para mapanatiling suot ang World Boxing Association (WBA) interim super flyweight title.
“Kay Fernando Montiel, siya ang pinakamagaling sa bantamweight, he holds two belt and to me my advantage ako sa kanya,” ani Donaire, nagdadala ng 24-1-0 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 16 KOs, habang bitbit ni Montiel ang 41-2-2 (31 KOs) slate.
Bago kunin ang dating bakanteng WBA interim super flyweight belt, inangkin muna ni Donaire ang International Boxing Federation (IBF) at International Boxing Organization (IBO) flyweight titles via fifth-round TKO kay Vic Darchinyan noong Hulyo 7, 2007.
“It’s a great, great bantamweight fight. That’s about as good as you can get. And that would make for a great, great show,” wika ni Bob Arum ng Top Rank sa paghahamon ni Donaire kay Montiel.