By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Former WBO super flyweight champion Fernando Montiel (38-2-1, 28 KO’s) will now fight Argentina’s Diego Oscar Silva (24-1, 12KOs) for the WBO bantamweight interim title instead of the initially scheduled clash with mandatory challenger Eric Morel of Puerto Rico.
Morel is scheduled to face a still unnamed opponent in a ten-round bout with the winner of the Montiel-Silva fight mandated to defend the interim title against Morel.
The fights for the interim title came about after champion Gerry Penalosa was allowed to move up to super bantamweight to take on champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez and should he lose retain his 118 pound title which he would have to defend against whoever emerges as interim champion.
Should Penalosa win then he may decide to retain the super bantamweight crown and relinquish his bantamweight title.
The 29 year old Montiel is best remembered for his hugely controversial split decision win over Z “The Dream” Gorres in February 2007. Since then Montiel scored a 3rd round TKO victory over Luis Maldonado on May 31, 2006. Maldonado is the Mexican challenger who earlier suffered an 8th round TKO at the hands of reigning IBF/IBO flyweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire on December 1, 2007.
Montiel also won a ten round unanimous decision over Juan Alberto Rosas on November 2 last year. Rosas had earlier dropped an eight round unanimous decision to AJ :”Bazooka” Banal on May 5, 2007.
Silva, the 25 year old Argentine fighter has a record of 24-1-3 with 12 knockouts. He is coming off a ten-round unanimous decision over Diego Damian Loto after dropping Loto in the third round in a South American bantamweight title defense last September 26.
Prior to that fight Loto was decked in the second round of a fight with Ramon Armando Torres but came back to win by an 8th round knockout.
