by Cliff Rold
For good reason, the buzz is already in the air, the marquees already being written.
Nonito Donaire-Juan Manuel Lopez? Donaire-Yuriorkis Gamboa? We’re not there yet, but it already feels inevitable.
Let’s hope the inevitable can wait until at least 2012.
In an era when fighters fight less, and the importance of absurd pound-for-pound thinking is given far too much credence, the temptation to leap in weight before it’s necessary is a pox.
Can Donaire avoid it?
Let’s go to the report card.
Grades
Pre-Fight: Speed – Montiel B+; Donaire A/Post: Same
Pre-Fight: Power – Montiel A; Donaire A/Post: Same
Pre-Fight: Defense – Montiel B; Donaire B+/Post: C-; B+
Pre-Fight: Intangibles – Montiel A; Donaire A/Post: Same
As indicated in Jake Donovan’s coverage of the contest, there was a feeling on Saturday night that Donaire (26-1, 18 KO) had been confirmed before our eyes. This might be, just maybe, a potential, live-right-now, great fighter. He certainly proved that his name belong with a handful of the very best in the world.
It was not the first time watching Donaire left an audience breathless but the anticipation for this contest was different. He wasn’t the rambunctious challenger of the 2007 Vic Darchinyan fight, riding a wave of family revenge. He wasn’t the stalled superstar who exploded all over the face of Wladimir Sidorenko later last year.
This was as close, in the U.S. market, to a Bantamweight Superfight as possible. Donaire shined as if born to be there. His jab was accurate, his control of distance exact, his right hand exacting in the very first round.
Montiel (44-3-2, 34 KO) didn’t look out of the fight by any stretch. Instead, it was just a notable step behind Donaire. Montiel’s head movement was solid late in the first and into the second. The Mexican titlist seemed to find his way into the offensive action by the second minute of the second round. His left hook was landing and his jab was working.
Then, boom…
Donaire countered Montiel perfectly with a left Montiel never saw coming and Montiel was done.
Almost.
The courage, the fighter’s instinct, Montiel showed in rising from the floor was indicative of why this fight was so looked forward to by real fight fans. He’d been down in the past and risen. It was expected. He’d never been down like he was against Donaire and he behaved just the same. Donaire jumped right on him and the night was complete.
The fulfillment of the promise beneath the talent of Donaire was as well.
Now comes the hard part.
Looking Ahead
Beginning with Montiel, it would be a mistake to assume the 31-year old as done. He’ll have to confront whatever demons arise from his fate versus Donaire but precedent says such a loss to the “Filipino Flash” need not be an end. Darchinyan got better, and picked up the best wins of his career, after Donaire stopped him. Montiel is capable of another run.
When the healing is complete, a rematch with the man he defeated to unify Bantamweight belts last year, Hozumi Hasegawa, at Featherweight, or an overdue showdown with Darchinyan at Bantamweight could be crowd pleasing engagements to get Montiel right back on track. He still desires to be the first Mexican with belts in four weight classes. The goal remains in reach.
Donaire will surely ride higher on the scale someday but he doesn’t need to do it now. Fans should pray he stays put for at least another fight or three, that he make a run at cleaning out the top of a stacked field.
Look one class up.
Jr. Featherweight would provide the feather of another class conquered. However, it’s just a stopgap, a piece of window dressing before bigger things. In terms of talent, it’s a step down from where Donaire is right now.
Heck, outside of a few big names, Featherweight isn’t much better.
Bantamweight provides better overall competition than Jr. Featherweight or Featherweight right now. The best Jr. Featherweight in the world, Toshiaki Nishioka, couldn’t cut it on the title scene at Bantamweight and the class has gotten exponentially better since. Lopez, Gamboa, maybe Hasegawa, and Chris John if he doesn’t get old, are all stellar fights at Featherweight but they’re a few away no matter what division Donaire is in.
So, hey, why not stay where the best possible fights can happen?
All of the members of the Showtime Bantamweight tournament (Darchinyan, Abner Mares, Yonnhy Perez, and IBF titlist Joseph Agbeko) would be excellent foes, each providing a unique challenge.
The next best man in the division, WBA titlist Anselmo Moreno (30-1-1, 10 KO), is a hardcore fan’s dream. The astonishing offense of Donaire versus the defense and savvy of Moreno is a classic encounter waiting to happen. Moreno might be too much risk for too little pay…but Donaire has the skills that pay bills. In his third weight class, the one he picked up WBC and WBO belts in by blowing Montiel away on Saturday, Donaire can find a sure path to greatness simply by doing what he said he wants to do.
Unification is a must and Donaire doesn’t need to go anywhere right now. Bantamweight is in the midst of a memorable run. If Donaire goes for the whole damn thing, he could make this a genuine golden age.
How interested should fight fans be in Donaire-Moreno?
According to the weekend review by Michael Rosenthal at Ringtv.com, “Donaire had the WBC belt on one shoulder and the WBO belt on the other when he said to me: “I want to fight for your belt [against either Agbeko or Mares],” referring to THE RING bantamweight championship. I said, “Well, the problem is that Anselmo Moreno is rated No. 2 at the moment.” He said with a smile, “C’mon, no one knows who Anselmo Moreno is.””
When fighters start talking about who people don’t know, it’s usually a pretty good indication that THEY know. No one ever complains that ‘no one knows’ faceless, time suck opponents when they sign for a payday to face one. It’s not always true, but when a fighter starts making such statements, the guy ‘no one knows’ is the one who really needs a look.
Featherweight can wait.
Featherweight should wait.
And, given how stiff Bantamweight is right now, the combination of patience and unavoidable challenges can only make Donaire better and bigger by the time the big money showdowns come.
Report Card Picks 2011: 1-1
Ratings Impact
160: Felix Sturm holds steady and one wonders if, after a farce like the Ronald Hearns fight, Sturm is going to be even more protective of his career than his previous promoter was. If he’s not done being coddled now, will he ever be?
118: Donaire leaps to the top spot with Moreno staying locked in at #2. Montiel drops to sixth behind three of the four men who make up the Showtime Bantamweight tournament.
105: There’s a new WBC titlist and, despite only seven pro outings, Kazuto Ioka’s knockout of Thailan’s Oleydong Sithsamerchai brings him in at the two slot. Keep an eye on this one.
These moves and others over the last couple weeks are addressed in the updated ratings.
Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel, the Yahoo Pound for Pound voting panel, and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com