The Next Manny Pacquiao? Nonito Donaire Will Knockout Fernando Montiel Saturday

WBC Continental Americas Bantamweight king “The Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire will challenge “The Rooster” Fernando Montiel for his WBO and WBC Bantamweight belts Saturday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs), who hasn’t been defeated since he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Rosendo Sanchez in March 2001 in his second professional bout, is scheduled to scrap Montiel (43-2-2, 33 KOs) on HBO’s first “Boxing After Dark” card of 2011.

Montiel (43-2-2, 33 KOs), who has not lost since 2006, is one of four Mexican fighters to win world titles in three weight divisions along with Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.

“Fernando Montiel is the best fighter I have ever faced and certainly the toughest challenge of my professional career,” said Donaire, 28, who has scored knockouts in eight of his last nine fights. “It’s going to be a battle of strength and will. I’m leaving nothing to chance in training and when the final bell rings on Feb. 19, the Philippines will have another mark in the victory column against Mexico.

“I’m taking on a great champion and I’m going to prove where I stand in boxing. It will not go 12 rounds. I have power. He has power. I want to win by knockout. He wants to win by knockout.”

Donaire, a past IBF and IBO world flyweight champ is currently rated by Ring Magazine as the number four pound-for-pound boxer in the world, is constantly compared to his fellow Filipino countryman, WBO welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs).

Pacquiao, the first prizefighter to win 10 world titles in eight different weight divisions, is a three-time Fighter of the Year and one-time Fighter of the Decade.

“It’s a great honor to be compared to Manny Pacquiao,” said Donaire, 28. “I mean the guy has done what no one has ever done before. So for someone to throw a name at you like that, that’s a big compliment. It’s like if you’re starting out in basketball, and someone is calling you the next Michael Jordan. I’m like, thank you.’”

Granted, Donaire is very skilled and his rapid fists will likely earn him much future success in the squared circle.

Nevertheless, at this juncture, Donaire is strictly being linked to Pacquiao because they both hail from the Republic of the Philippines.

“It’s unfair to compare anyone with Manny Pacquiao,” said Brad Sherwood, 30, a resident of South Boston (MA) who is employed as a personal trainer by Gold’s Gym in Medford. “Manny is in a class by himself.”

Despite the inane comparisons to Pacquiao, Nonaire is a tremendously talented pugilist and he will continue his ascension to greatness when he easily trumps “The Rooster” this weekend.