Fernando Montiel-Nonito Donaire: Montiel's Edge

Fernando Montiel remembered the time when he won back his WBO super flyweight title against Ivan Hernandez. He was an underdog, at that time, against an undefeated fighter. However, he knocked Hernandez out in the seventh round of the scheduled 12-round battle.

It’s been years since he was an underdog going into a fight, and against Nonito Donaire this Feb. 19, the betting odds are against him.

Nonito is different, a south paw who possesses a lot of arsenals on his pockets. This is so far the most talented fighter Montiel could ever face on his career. Z Gorres was an exceptional fighter who gave Montiel a lot of trouble in 2007, but Nonito has something Gorres doesn’t have…

He has the power to knock everybody out.

He made the trash talking Vic Darchinyan kiss the canvass and made the former decorated amateur, Raul Martinez look ordinary. There are athletes who are blessed to have God-given skills, and there are some who don’t have the gift, but work really hard to be successful. Nonito came out an anomaly.

It never crosses Montiel’s mind about what he can’t do. It’s always been what he can do and how much pain he can inflict. His power is his constant ally, and in a sport where one punch can make a difference, anything seems possible. Many tried to knock him out, but 34 out of his 44 wins came out kissing the canvass. Nonito might be talented, but Montiel has been through a lot of wars.

Experience will always be the key, and Montiel's got the hands-down edge on Nonito.
Nonito would be the “with honors” graduate, and Montiel had already passed his masters in the school of hard knocks. This would be a fight against experience versus skills.

During the press conference traditional face-off, you could see the respect both pugilists have for each other. However, you could feel the growing animosity both fighters are building.

Montiel readily said, “With our speed and power, and our styles, the fight should end in a knockout, maybe an early one,” with a beaming smile.

Fernando Montiel sees the fight to end early…it had to…

Because that’s the only thing he can see himself winning.