LAS VEGAS – There was no discrepancy on the official scale, but there was one about the timing Friday before Nonito Donaire and Fernando Montiel weighed the mandatory 118 pounds for their bantamweight showdown Saturday night at Mandalay Bay.
There was talk that Montiel was annoyed that the weigh-in was delayed for about 25 minutes. Montiel’s representatives said Donaire was about a half-pound heavy when he tested the scale before the weigh-in was scheduled to happen in front of media and fans at a bar on the casino floor. The delay gave Donaire time to make weight, they said.
Donaire is listed at 5 feet -7, or three inches taller than 5-4 Montiel.
Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs), who is fighting for only the second time at 118, looks as if he could comfortably add weight and fight at a super-bantam (122) or featherweight (126). A move up in weight appears to be the plan for Donaire, a Filipino native who was born in General Santos City, also Manny Pacquiao’s hometown.
Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KOs), who holds the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization titles, has been campaigning at 118 since late 2008. His experience at the weight is thought to be a significant advantage, although Donaire was a 3-1 betting favorite late Friday.
Meanwhile, Jesus Soto-Karass was 146 pounds, one under the welterweight’s mandatory 147, for his rematch against Mike Jones. Jones, who won a majority decision over Soto-Karass in November at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex., was 147.
