Donaire-Montiel to Push Through, Arum Says

MANILA, Philippines — Despite a big scare with Fernando Montiel injuring his right leg recently, the fight against Filipino hard-hitter Nonito Donaire, Jr. will still go on, Top Rank big boss Bob Arum assured.

“From everything that we're hearing, it's that Fernando Montiel is going to be fine for February 19 and the fight on HBO,” said in a statement quoted by Boxing Fanhouse. "What we've heard, exactly, is that the leg is hurt, but that it's not fractured, and that he will be able to begin training in three weeks… We're looking to see if we can do that fight in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Hotel."

This was after the 31-year-old WBO/WBC bantamweight champion figured in a motorcycle accident earlier this week, resulting to the cancellation of his November 20 tune-up fight against a still unnamed opponent.

Montiel has been told to rest the heavily bandaged leg for three weeks before hitting the gym anew.

“Thank God I’m fine; it was a tremendous shock,” the Mexican told reporters soon after the incident. “I never should have ridden on that bike, but it was an accident without consequences. This teaches me a lesson to be careful and not to expose myself to unnecessary risks.”

Pacquiao-Chavez, Jr. in 2011?
Meanwhile, WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. has called off his trip to the Philippines to join Manny Pacquiao’s training camp in Baguio City, after reportedly learning of a possible face-off with the seven-division titlist sometime next year.

“I’m getting ready for my fight against Alfonso Gomez on December 4 in Anaheim, California. I was supposed to go to the Philippines and do sparring with Pacquiao, which is something very important to me,” the 24-year-old, second-generation boxer revealed.

“At the same time, it has been said that Manny could be my opponent next year, and I think helping him in sparring would be complicated.”

If Chavez gets past Gomez, he might be pitted against Pacquiao’s former foe, Miguel Cotto who will be sitting out the rest of the year due to lack of quality opponents.

"That's the fight. If Chavez is successful with Gomez, and he looks okay and looks good, then Cotto already has said that he's anxious to fight Chavez in the spring," Arum told FanHouse. "We would then work hard to make that fight."

"Cotto's still a terrific fighter, and he won't be intimidated by the Chávez name. Is Julio ready for a challenge like that? I don't know."

The younger Chavez even joked about his desire to face Oscar De La Hoya, who battered his father a few years back, on the boxing ring. “I would have loved to have the opportunity [to fight De La Hoya]. Maybe when De La Hoya loses all his money he will want that fight.”

Erickson Beco, Manila Bulletin