MONTIEL PUSHED TO FIGHT MOREL ON JUNE 29 TOP RANK CARD
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 09 Jun 2010
In another twist to the long-standing efforts of WBO interim bantamweight champion Eric Morel to get WBO champion Fernando Montiel to put his title on the line against him, the WBO has stepped in to make it happen by pushing Montiel to come to terms or to go into a purse bid for the late June title showdown.
The WBO headed by its president Francisco ?Paco? Valcarcel has sent a letter to Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions and Peter Rivera of P.R. Best Boxing - the handlers of both fighters - giving them a June 9, 2:00 p.m. deadline to come to terms on a title fight. The WBO said that ?if an accord is not reached within the time frame, the Purse Bid is hereby ordered for Friday, June 11 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, subject to the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests. The Purse Bid will be held in the lobby of the Affinia Hotel? in New York.
The WBO president indicated in his letter that ?the minimum purse bid amount established for the Bantamweight Division is $100,000.
The Montiel-Morel title fight is scheduled for Top Rank?s big ?Latin Fury 15? pay-per-view card at the Alamadome in San Antonio, Texas on June 29 headed by the clash between undefeated Julio Cesar Chavez and Ireland?s John Duddy and Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera against Brazil?s Adailton De Jesus.
Morel was originally scheduled to fight WBC super flyweight champion Jorge ?Travieso? Arce but the Mexican suffered a three-inch deep cut under his right eyelid in his first sparring session and was instructed by doctors to take a two week break.
Filipino fighters Michael Domingo who recently scored a 2nd round knockout of Colombia?s rugged Luis Melendez and WBA super flyweight interim champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire both offered to replace Arce but were turned down by Morel who indicated he would prefer to wait for Arce to recover.
Panama?s Rafael ?El Torito? Concepcion emerged as an opponent but that possibility also fell through after Concepcion complained the purse offer of $20,000 was too small.
That prompted Top Rank promoter Bob Arum to tell us that Morel had been taken off the card and that Barrera?s showdown with De Jesus would be moved up.
Now comes the news that Morel will be back on the card to be telecast in the Philippines by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN in an eagerly anticipated bantamweight battle with Montiel.
Morel won a controversial split decision over former two division world champion Gerry Penalosa at the Las Vegas Hilton last February 13 while Montiel won the WBC bantamweight title with a stunning 4th round TKO over fancied Japanese Hozumi Hasegawa last April 30 in Tokyo.
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