Fernando Montiel Added a WBC Crown to His Three-Division
Fernando “Kochulito” Montiel defeated Hozumi Hasegawa in Tokyo on April 30, 2010, to win the WBC bantamweight championship. The fourth-round stoppage added another belt to a career already spanning world titles in three divisions.
Flyweight and super flyweight championships
Montiel won his first world championship from Isidro García on December 15, 2000, taking the WBO flyweight title. He later moved up and defeated Pedro Alcázar for the WBO super flyweight championship in June 2002.
Mark Johnson ended that reign in August 2003. Montiel regained the WBO super flyweight championship by defeating Iván Hernández in April 2005 before eventually moving to bantamweight.
The Hasegawa victory and Donaire defeat
Montiel held the WBO bantamweight title when he faced Hasegawa at the Nihon Budokan in Tokyo. His fourth-round victory secured the WBC belt as well.
Nonito Donaire stopped Montiel in the second round at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on February 19, 2011. The defeat ended Montiel’s period holding the WBC and WBO bantamweight championships.
The Los Mochis boxer trained under his father, Manuel Montiel Sr., and came from a family with several professional fighters. His championship opposition also included Juan Domingo Córdoba, Martín Castillo and José López. Across his world-title contests, Montiel recorded seventeen victories, thirteen of them by knockout, reflecting his effectiveness at championship level in the smaller weight divisions.
Sources
- BoxRec: Montiel’s world championship chronology
- World Boxing Organization: Montiel’s first championship and super flyweight return
- World Boxing Council: Montiel’s Tokyo victory over Hasegawa
- World Boxing Organization: Donaire’s championship victory over Montiel
