Image by Getty Images via @daylifeFERNANDO MONTIEL vs. NONITO DONAIRE
When: Saturday, Feb. 19
Where: Las Vegas (Mandalay Bay)
TV: HBO, 9:45 pm. PT/ ET
Weight: Bantamweight (118 pounds)
Title(s) at stake: Montiel’s WBC and WBO
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Skills:
Edge: Even
Power:
Edge: Montiel
Speed and athletic ability:
Edge: Donaire
Defense:
Edge: Montiel
Experience:
Edge: Montiel
Chin:
Edge: Even
Conditioning:
Edge: Even
Wear and tear:
Edge: Donaire
Corner:
Edge: Montiel
Outcome: Donaire will start the bout with a steely focus, popping the sharpest jab of his career. Yet, Montiel will brim with confidence. Donaire will score with his jab while a constantly moving Montiel tries to rattle him with foot feints and lead power shots. Donaire will keep an uncommonly high guard, which will protect him from Montiel’s scary counter punches long enough to land a hard straight right that sends the Mexican back on his heels at the start of the fourth round. Donaire will get overexcited in his pursuit of an early knockout and momentarily drop his hands as he tries to finish his foe. With his back to the ropes, Montiel will make Donaire pay for the defensive lapse, hurting the Filipino with a double hook to the body and head. The two will exchange blazing combinations until the end of the round, bringing the crowd inside the Mandalay Bay’s Event Center to their feet. Having tasted each others power, both fighters will box a little more cautiously in the middle rounds and the bout will become an intense chess match. Montiel will continue to taunt and goad Donaire from a distance in hopes that the bigger man abandons his jab and attacks. However, Donaire will keep his jab going and the effects of his left stick will be evident on the puffy, purple eyes of the dual titleholder by the eighth round of the bout. Sensing Donaire’s growing confidence and possible points lead, Montiel will take more chances in rounds nine and 10, and the veteran will hit pay dirt when he takes half a step back to evade a Donaire right hand and explodes forward with a counter left hook that puts the Filipino fan favorite on queer street in the final minute of the 10th. Montiel will attempt to finish Donaire, but the wounded boxer will survive with constant movement (even on wobbly legs) and the threat of sneaky uppercuts. Montiel will try to swarm Donaire at the start of the 11th round but he’ll discover that his rival recuperates quickly and run into three-punch combination that staggers him into the ropes. Donaire will cautiously press Montiel with long-range jabs, right hands and body shots that punish the more experienced fighter. However, Montiel will survive with slick upper-body movement and by grabbing and holding his tormentor. The two boxer-punchers will let it all hang out in the final round. Boxing on his toes, Montiel will pop in and out of range, landing single power shots (some of which are flamboyant bolo punches that get a rise out of the fans). Donaire will stalk flat footed and look to do real damage with hard combinations. They’ll end the round with extended flurries that electrify the crowd and prompt press row to declare the bout an early fight of the year candidate.
Prediction: Donaire by close but unanimous decision.
http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/126715-head-to-head-montiel-donaire
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