This one is a battle for the ages.

Much like the Devon Alexander vs Timothy Bradley fight, the two best fighters in their division will clash head-to-head to determine who’s the best.

This February 19, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire challenges Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel in a Bantamweight Unified Championship bout. At stake are Montiel’s WBC and WBO Bantamweight titles.

This bout kicks off HBO’s season of “Boxing After Dark” which pits fighters on the pound-for-pound list.

Both are currently rated in Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound list, Donaire at #5 while Montiel at #7.

The fight fans were hoping for became a reality when Donaire dismantled Wladimir Sidorenko in 4 rounds while Montiel knocked out Jovanny Soto in Round 2 in their respective matches last December.

Mexican Fernando Montiel has a professional record of 44 wins, 2 losses and 2 draws with 34 of his wins coming via KO. He is the former WBO Flyweight and Super flyweight champion and is currently rated by The Ring Magazine as the number seven pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Fernando Montiel is a hybrid boxer, using accurate punches to slow down his opponent and using swift hand speed and quickness to frustrate his opponents.

Filipino Nonito Donaire, Jr. has a professional record of 25 wins and 1 loss with 17 of his wins coming via KO. Currently, Donaire holds the WBC Continental Americas Bantamweight Title. He is the former WBA Super Flyweight Interim World Champion, IBF World Flyweight Champion and IBO World Flyweight Champion.

He first came under the boxing community’s radar when he knocked out Vic Darchinyan in 2007 that was “The Knockout of the Year”.

He is a known switch-hitter with the ability to fight either southpaw or orthodox and is being groomed as Manny Pacquiao’s successor when the Filipino great retires.

Montiel vs Donaire will be held this Saturday, February 19, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Here in the Philippines, ABS-CBN will show the event albeit on a delayed telecast this Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 10:30 AM.

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UPDATE February 20, 2011: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas- A very lively arena crowd saw Nonito Donaire knock out Fernando Montiel in two rounds to capture the WBC/WBO bantamweight titles. A big feeling out process in the first round. In the second, Donaire landed a left hook that Montiel never saw coming and he went down like a bag of bricks. Montiel barely beat the referee’s count. Donaire knew the fight was over and quickly pounded on his opponent with a flurry of punches to force the referre’s stoppage.

Here’s the Fernando Montiel vs Nonito Donaire, Jr. fight video:

Please read my related posts:

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Tags: fernando montiel, HBO after dark, nonito donaire