LAS VEGAS — Nonito Donaire cemented his spot at the top of some pound for pound lists by completely starching fellow P4Per Fernando Montiel in two rounds in Las Vegas Saturday night.
Donaire (26-1-0) dominated the 1st round with his range and power, but seemed to be losing the 2nd when he floored Montiel (44-3-2) with a rocket left hook. Montiel should never have been allowed back up, and it only took one more left hook for referee Russell Mora to wave the fight off at 2:25 of the 2nd.
The only conclusion that you can draw from this short fight is that Donaire is a legitimate, scary, elite level boxer. His high place in some people’s pound for pound lists is completely justified. He made easy, short work of Montiel, himself a P4P guy.
In front of a largely pro-Mexican crowd in Vegas, Donaire dominated the 1st round with his jab and lightning fast right hands and left hooks. As in his fight against Wladimir Sydorenko, he looked to be several weight classes bigger than his unfortunate, regular bantam sized opponent.
Despite the size disparity, Montiel made it interesting in round 2. That was until Donaire opted to eat a right hand in order hit him with a frightening counter left hook. Maybe Montiel and Vic Darchinyan should look into forming a support group.
Russell Mora allowed Montiel to get back up, despite the fact that he was twitching, doing backstroke on the canvas, and fell on his first attempt to rise. But rise he did, gamely, only to eat another monster left hook. At that point, things were clearly over and Mora waved it off.
On the undercard, Mike Jones easily unanimous decisioned Jesus Soto-Karass in an entertaining 12 round welterweight rematch. Soto-Karass was game as ever, but a smarter Jones was too much for him. Jones (24-0-0) fought much smarter this time, though he never seemed able to hurt Soto-Karass as badly as he did in the second round of their first fight.
Soto-Karass (24-6-3) fought at a disadvantage from round 2, his whole face a bloody mask due to cuts caused by a head butt. It seemed that it was going to be stopped at the end of the 2nd round (much to the chagrin of the Mexican fans), but Soto-Karass bravely arose for 10 more rounds of punishment.
All in all, a very entertaining night at the fights, added to by TQBR favourtes Wilfrank and JPF. What an intro to Vegas.
