By Michael Marley
Bob Arum just informed me that Filipino Flash Nonito Donaire has a two-fer deal going as he moves up to the bantamweight division.
In an obvious move to upstage the new Showtime tournament (which has a presser in Los Angeles Thursday billing "the world's best bantamweights," Arum has dropped his "mini bomb."
It's been known that the exciting Donaire, his country's second illustrious ring star behind idol Manny Pacquiao, has been itching to Mexican veteran Fernando Montiel.
"We've got two bouts deals in place with Nonito and Fernando," Arum said by phone from his Las Vegas office Wednesday afternoon. "If both win their next bouts, then they will fight each other in the first quarter of next year on HBO."
Donaire, who turns age 28 on Nov. 16, is 24-1 with 16 knockouts.
Montiel, who is 31, owns a 43-2-2 record, including 33 big KOs. He holds the WBO and WBC title belts.
Hard-hitting southpaw Donaire faces Wladimir Sidorenko (22-2-2 but only seven KOs) on Dec. 4 at The Pond in Anaheim.
Montiel is listed to fight Oct. 30 but no opponent is specified. He's supposed to box on a show in Cartagena.
Donaire and Montiel bypassed the new Showtime tournament which has a field of Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko, Yohnny "El Colombiano" Perez, Abner Mares and Donaire KO victim Vic "Raging Bull" Darchinyan.
The Showtime competition begins Dec. 11 in Leon, Mexico, as Agbeko fights Perez and Mares tries on aggressive Darchinyan.
Mares owns a 20-0-1. 13 KOs record. Darchinyan is 35-2-1, 27 KOs. Agbeko is 27-2 with 22 KOs and Perez is 20-0-1 with 14 knockouts.
Darchinyan's losses are to Donaire and to Agbeko and his draw was with Pinoy Z Gorres.
Promoters involved in the Showtime competition are Golden Boy, Thompson Boxing, Big Gary Shaw and Don King Productions.
Michael Marley is the national boxing examiner for examiner.com. To read more stories by Michael Marley, Click Here .
