Donaire a solid favorite to take Montiel’s bantamweight titles

Saturday night’s bout between Fernando Montiel and Nonito Donaire in Las Vegas should be the early fight of the year.

Montiel, from Mexico, is the WBC/WBO champion at 118 pounds, hasn’t lost a fight since 2006 and hasn’t had an opponent last the distance over his last six fights. Donaire, from the Philippines, is unbeaten since his second pro bout and has climbed to a solid No. 2 in his nation’s heart (behind Manny Pacquiao obviously) while stopping 17 of 25 victims and claiming belts in three weight classes.

Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KO) assumed the Ring’s No. 1 bantamweight ranking by knocking out Hozumi Hasegawa in the titleholder’s native Japan last April. The 31-year-old Montiel has exhibited devastating form in two subsequent bouts. He is one of five Mexican fighters to win world titles in three weight divisions and is Mexico’s No. 2 active fighter behind lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez. Montiel would like to become the first Mexican to win a title in a fourth weight class. With a win against Donaire, he will consider looking to the junior featherweight division for the opportunity.

The 28-year-old Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs) first turned heads by knocking out then-undefeated Vic Darchinyan in 2007, and looked devastating in crushing former titleholder Wladimir Sidorenko over four rounds last December. The former flyweight titleholder lost his second pro fight in 2001, and Donaire hasn’t lost since as he worked his way up the pound-for-pound list – he’s on every Top 10 list. If Donaire wins, he said he also will probably move up in weight.

Montiel and Donaire, who used to train together, are buddies outside the ring. The winner of their showdown will be considered the sport’s best 118 pounder. Besides crowning the top bantamweight in the world, the fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center (HBO, 9:45 ET/PT) is all about nationalistic pride in the latest installment of a growing rivalry between the boxing-mad countries of Mexico and the Philippines.

Donaire is the -250 favorite on Bodog with Montiel at +190. Donaire by KO, TKO or disqualification is the even-money favorite on the outcomes prop.

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