Filed under: WBA, WBC, WBO, Boxing Rumors, HBO, Showtime, FanHouse Exclusive, Top Rank Promotions
LAS VEGAS -- An explosive left hook by WBA interim super flyweight (115 pounds) titlist Nonito Donaire had briefly stretched out WBO and WBC bantamweight (118 pounds) champion Fernando Montiel on the canvas on Saturday night, both of his arms extended over his head, and his legs twitching involuntarily.
The 31-year-old Montiel (44-3-2, 34 knockouts) would rise, fall uncontrollably into the ropes, and rise, yet again, before referee Russell Mora rightfully protected him from further damage by his 28-year-old conqueror, Donaire (26-1, 18 KOs), leading to a stoppage at 2:25 of the second round and the Filipino fighter's 25th straight victory and 10th knockout in his past 12 fights at the Mandalay Bay in an HBO-televised thriller.
"That's the heart that he gave. And that's why I have so much respect for Fernando Montiel. A lot of guys would not have gotten up at all. But you see how hard it was for him to get up. That was his heart and his pride as a Mexican," said Donaire.
"I was very surprised that he got up because I landed the punch flush," said Donaire. "I knew that he was going to go down with that punch. I just never thought that he was going to get up, but he did."
Donaire was then brought ringside for interviews with reporters following what has to be considered a career-defining fight, even as the process was interrupted by an excited, semi-retired, former, four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr., who was serving as an HBO analyst for a fight whose result made him so giddy that he simply had to come and tell the victor, face-to-face.
For not since six-time champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KOs) and eight-division, WBO welterweight (147 pounds) Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) had Jones witnessed such beautiful skill and ferocity, all at once, this, from Pacquiao's Philippines countryman in ending an 11-0-1 unbeaten streak for Montiel that had included nine knockouts, four straight stoppages and a mark of 5-0-1, with five knockouts in his previous six fights.
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