Photos by Rafael Soto
For Fernando “KOchulito” Montiel there is no better time than now
and that is why he is ready in 2009 to go for all the marbles, the big names and big purses. From his training camp in his hometown of Los Mochis, MX, Montiel assures that his time has come.
“I have been waiting for the big fights for quite some time now but everybody has ducked me. Other fights have been made and I have been waiting but now all that is over, there is no where else to run, especially Vic Darchinyan,” the WBO super flyweight champion Montiel stated rather convincely after a hard training day.
Montiel (38-2-1, 28KO) will challenge for the vacant interim WBO bantamweight title against Argentinean Diego Oscar Silva (24-1-3, 12KO) in “Latin Fury 8-Tijuana Thunder) being celebrated the 28th of March in Tijuana, MX, where Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, WBC super featherweight champion Humberto “Zorrita” Soto and the two time lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo will also appear.
Originally, Montiel was to face Eric Morel (40-2, 21KO) of Puerto Rico for the bantamweight title but the boricua suddenly refused to fight “KOchulito” so the Los Mochis native went after the #3 ranked Silva.
“I have been unjustly critized since I have not faced the best fighters out there , but what can I do? Just like Morel, all the big numbers have avoided me, I am not to blame,” he states. “I want to face the likes of Darchinyan, Donaire, Hasegawa and even “Travieso,” stated Montiel who began his career in 1996.
If he is to defeat the Argentinean on March 28th, Montiel would join an elite group of aztec warriors who have earned three world title in as many division including Julio Cesar Chavez, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Jorge Arce and most recently Juan Manuel Marquez.
But Montiel would not be satisfied with just three titles but four as it is his goal.
“My objective is to be crowned in Tijuana and then Fernando Beltran has promised me a fight against Darchinyan, then Donaire. By early 2010, I will go after my fourth title when I go up to super bantamweight,” he expressed rather confidently. Since Montiel first captured a world title, he has fought in 18 world title fights in two divisions.
Trained by his father Manuel “Cochul” Montiel, Fernando is in heavy
preparation for his next fight on the 28th of this month.
“I am in my fourth week of training. I will be at 100% physically and mentally because I want to give a great show and capture my third world title,” Montiel added. “I have no doubt that my time has come and I will have the bigger fights soon.”
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