“I was very disappointed in them not wanting to fight in the tournament. Montiel always says he wants to fight, but not one of the champions. This tournament is a big chance,” commented former bantamweight champion Joseph Agbeko, who expressed his disappointment in the unwillingness of Fernando Montiel and Nonito Donaire to participate in Showtime’s Bantamweight Tournament. According to Agbeko, their lack of participation suggests a fear in wanting to fight the best fighters in the division.

“I guess they didn’t get the fights they wanted, so Montiel pulled out then Donaire pulled,” he revealed in an interview with FightHype’s Elvers Brooks, hinting that perhaps the real reason why both fighters refused to participate is because they didn’t get the matchups they were hoping for. “Not wanting to fight the best in your weight class makes you a coward. You’re supposed to be in the tournament to show you can rock it and then claim you are the best.  It’s a shame,” he added.

Indeed, it is a shame that neither fighter will be participating, as both will surely lay claim to being the best banamweight in the world no matter the outcome of this tournament. But if promoter Bob Arum stands by his promise of making Donaire vs. Montiel early next year, we can hope that the winner will eventually face the tournament champion to determine true supremacy within the division.