Tonight Top Rank present Latin Fury 13/Pinoy Power 3 from the classy Hilton in Las
Vegas although for once, unusually, the glamorous surroundings aren't matched by the
glamour of the bill.
Headlining the card is Filipino Nonito Donaire, 22-1-0 (14), who after original opponent Gerson Guerrero's withdrawal, is set to face decent Mexican Manuel Vargas, 26-4-1 (11). Donaire makes the first defence of his 'interim' WBA super flyweight title, but Vargas, who has been fighting as low as minimumweight as of late, will probably be too small to cope with Donaire's power. The fact that Vargas weighed in yesterday at a career heavy 114lb (a whole pound lighter than Donaire) is testament to this.
Hopefully it should still be a decent enough match-up to justify it's billing as the headline bout, but perhaps Top Rank could have found a slightly tougher test for the talented Donaire.
In another bout that doesn't quite capture the imagination, Mexico's WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel, 39-2-2 (29), defends for the first time against untested Filipino Ciso Morales, 14-0-0 (8). Although Morales has made something of a name for himself as a prospect amongst the hardcore fans, there is very little to judge him on yet, and challenging Montiel in the States is by far and away his biggest test to date.
Montiel is of course a veteran of the ring, and has held titles at flyweight and super-flyweight as well as his current bantamweight crown, and has seen everything. Possibly the only thing that Morales can hope for is that Montiel is past his best, as Morales, however young and hungry he may be, will never have experienced an opponent like Montiel and will very likely have no real chance to win the fight.
In a battle of old campaigners, Filipino Gerry Penalosa, 54-7-2 (36), tackles former flyweight king Eric Morel, 41-2-0 (21), over twelve for the interim WBO bantamweight title.
Penalosa was last seen losing bravely to Puerto Rican sensation Juan Manuel Lopez last April, and since then the Filipino has remained inactive. Whether this will help or hinder Penalosa remains to be seen, but it isn't advisable to take long breaks at the tail end of your career if the past has taught us anything.
However, Morel can do one better. Having retired in 2005 after a losing effort agianst Martin Castillo for the WBA super flyweight title, he only returned in 2008, spending a total of three whole years out of the ring. Since his return he has had five victories, and against decent opposition, and deserves the shot at the title, even if it is just an interim version.
Rounding off the Filipino connection, Bernabe Concepcion, 27-3-1 (15), makes an outing against the very decent Puerto Rican Mario Santiago, 21-1-1 (4). One opponent they have in common is WBO featherweight champion Steve Luevano, and as a mark of their talent, both gave him hell. Concepcion practically knocked Luevano out cold, although unfortunately for him it was after the bell and resulted in a D.Q loss, but Santiago managed to draw with the American Luevano in a very tight, controversial bout.
Doubtless that whoever wins this fight can move on to fight for another title, but as for who will win, it's a tough one. In what is possibly the closest fight of the night, Santiago may just have enough to upset Concepcion but I for one wouldn't like to put money on it!
Finally, Top Rank's Russian super middleweight Matt Korobov, 9-0-0 (7), has his tenth outing and looks dead set to continue his undefeated streak as he faces win some/lose some Lamar Harris, 6-4-3 (4), from the US over six rounds.
By CEI SMITH
