"Cochulito"  

• World championship fights: 18-3, 14 KOs...
• Former WBC bantamweight world champion, one successful defense...
• Former WBO bantamweight world champion, two succesful defenseses...
• Former two-time WBO jr. bantamweight world champion, eight successful defenses...
• Former WBO flyweight world champion, three successful defenses...

At the age of 32, Fernando is a 14-year pro. The former WBC and WBO bantamweight world champion, he won the WBO title in March, 2009, and added the WBC title in April, 2010.

One of Mexico's best fighters, Fernando became only the fourth Mexican to win world titles in three different weight divisions. The others in that elite group are Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.

He is also a former two-time WBO jr. bantamweight world champion. Fernando won that title for the first time in June, 2002, and made one successful title defense before losing the title in August, 2003. He regained the title in April, 2005, and made seven more successful title defenses. He vacated the title to move up in weight. Fernando won the WBO flyweight world title December, 2000, and made three successful title defenses.

He is coming off a second-round TKO loss against Nonito Donaire in his last fight on February 19. Fernando lost both his WBO and WBC bantamweight titles.

After the fight, he told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael: "'I knew we both had the punching power to knock each other out,' Montiel said. 'I made the first mistake and I paid for it.'"

He made his first defense of the WBC title and second defense of the WBO title on July 17, and scored a third-round knockout win against Rafael Concepcion.

Fightwriter.com's Graham Houston reported [excerpts]: Montiel looked tremendous in his third-round destruction of Rafael Concepcion in their bantamweight title fight televised on Fox Sports Espanol.

 This was Montiel's first bout since his upset stoppage victory over Hozumi Hasegawa in Japan, and he went out to make a statement in front of the Mexican crowd.

Concepcion...fought gamely before being retired by his corner after nine rounds in a war with Jorge Arce, and he went 12 rounds with the sharpshooting Filipino Nonito Donaire. Montiel, however, simply blew him away.

 Big left hooks from Montiel had Concepcion down twice in the second round and hanging on so desperately that referee Robert Byrd told the judges to take a point. It was obvious after this 10-6 round from hell that Concepcion would not be able to last much longer, and, sure enough, Montiel flattened him with a right hand after 67 seconds of round three.

There is no doubting the quality of Montiel's performance on Saturday night. He looked sensational. [End Houston item]

Fernando won the WBC bantamweight world title in his previoius fight on April 30 with a fourth-round TKO against defending champion Hozumi Hasegawa in Tokyo.

After the fight, Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com [excerpts]: Hasegawa has been one of Japan's finest for several years. Montiel, one of Mexico's best, is a three-division titleholder....

Hasegawa, a southpaw, had been on quite a run, scoring five knockouts in a row inside four rounds against some credible opponents. Between that fact and his being at home, Hasegawa was the clear favorite. Through the first three-plus rounds, it looked like he'd coast to a win, even though it turned out he had suffered a broken jaw from a Montiel uppercut in the first round. Yet he continued to fight and...lead on all three scorecards, 30-27 on two and 29-28 on the third.

However, Montiel landed a hammering left hook to the face with seven seconds left in the fourth round. Hasegawa went reeling into the ropes and Montiel pounced. He landed several more shots, snapping a defenseless Hasegawa's head back. He was out on his feet as American referee Laurence Cole jumped in to stop the fight just as the bell to end the round was ringing. It was a shocking ending and silenced the pro-Hasegawa crowd of about 15,000 at the famed Budokan Hall, while Montiel and his team joyously celebrated. [End Rafael item]

Fernando is undefeated - 10-0 with one technical draw - in his last 11 fights. His current undefeated streak also includes two of his career-best wins: in addition to beating Hasegawa in his last fight, Fernando scored a dominant fourth-round TKO win against former 1996 Mexican Olympian and WBA super flyweight world champion Martin Castillo in February, 2008.

Fernando said through an interpreter, "I always stay in the gym, no matter what, even if I don't have any fights or anything. I'm always training here in Los Mochis, getting ready for anything that might come up.

"I train at my father's gym. It's named 'Cochul Montiel School of Boxing,' but it should really be called 'Welcome to Hell.' "

Fernando's hometown of Los Mochis is home to several former world champions and nearly every fighter from Los Mochis has spent some time training in Montiel's gym at one time or another.

Fernando is experienced against top opposition, and has fought former world champions Hozumi Hasegawa (TKO4), Martin CastilloJhonny Gonzalez (L12), Ivan Hernandez (TKO7), Mark Johnson (L12), Ruben Sanchez (KO2), Pedro Alcazar (TKO6), Juan Cordoba (KO1), Isidro Garcia (TKO7), and Cruz Carvajal (TKO4). (TKO4),

Regarding his nickname, Fernando said, "My father's name is Manuel Jesus and when one of my aunts was real small, she couldn't pronounce it right. She called her brother 'Cochul,' and now all of his sons are called 'Cochulito.' " [note: Little Cochul]

Key Fights - 2011 - 2^nd WBC, 3^rd WBO B WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - in his last fight on 2-19-11 in Las Vegas he was TKO'd by two-time, two-division titlist - and fellow pound-for-pounder - Nonito Donaire Jr. (25-1-0) in the 2^nd round; the fight headlined at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. Both men had knock-out power, but it was Donaire who beat him to the punch - literally - when Donaire caught him with a devastating left counter shot. Montiel valiantly rose to his feet, but he was badly hurt and Donaire quickly finished him off, before Referee Russell Mora stopped the fight at 2:25.

On 12-10-10 in Saltillo, MX, he knocked out Jovanny Soto (29-1-1): the fight headlined at Gimnasio Municipal, and Fernando quickly overpowered him; he scored one knockdown in the 1^st round and two more in the 2^nd, and Soto was counted out at 2:29; after the fight, Fernando said, "I felt very strong. Soto is brave, but I came win and I'm ready for Donaire. On February 19, I will show everyone exactly who's better."...

1^ST WBC, 2^ND WBO B WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 7-17-10 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, MX, he knocked out Rafael Concepcion (14-4-1): the fight headlined at Palenque de la Feria, and Fernando quickly overpowered him; he scored two knockdowns, both with left hooks, in the 2^nd round and Concepcion was penalized one point for holding later in the round; Fernando scored another knockdown with a right hand in the 3^rd round, and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 1:07...

WON WBC B WORLD TITLE - on 4-30-10 in Tokyo, JAP, he TKO'd lefthanded defending champion Hozumi Hasegawa (28-2): the fight headlined at Budokan Hall, and Hasegawa, making his eleventh defense of the title, was the clear favorite to win; Hasegawa pressed forward, landed the sharper punches, and swept the 1^st round on all three scorecards; Fernando boxed and moved well, and won the 2^nd on two scorecards, but Hasegawa came back and swept the 3^rd round; Fernando staggered Hasegawa with a left hook that left him dazed late in the 4^th - Fernando trapped him on the ropes and rocked him with a series of unanswered punches, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:59; after three rounds, Hasegawa led by scores of 30-27, 29-28, 29-28; after the fight, Fernando said, "I didn't think I would be able to knock out Hasegawa so quickly. Hasegawa is a powerful boxer."; it was later discovered that Hasegawa's jaw was broken by an uppercut in the 1^st round...

WON WBO B WORLD TITLE - on 2-13-10 in Las Vegas, NV, he TKO'd previously undefeated Ciso Morales (14-0): the fight was co-featured with the Nonito Donaire-Manuel Vargas main event; Fernando scored a knockdown with a left hook to the body in the 1^st round, and Morales was counted out at 2:06...

2009 - on 9-12-09 in Tepic, MX, he had a technical draw in a nontitle fight against lefthanded Alejandro Valdez (21-3-2): it was an exciting fight while it lasted; Fernando scored a knockdown with an left uppercut in the 1^st round, but was cut badly over over his left eye later in the round - it was ruled that the cut was caused by an accidental clash of heads; Valdez came back and scored a knockdown in the 2^nd round and rallied in the 3^rd, but the fight was stopped on the cut after the round; since four rounds had not been completed, the fight was ruled a technical draw...

WON WBO INTERIM B WORLD TITLE - on 3-28-09 in Tijuana, MX, he knocked out Diego Silva (24-1-3): the fight was co-featured with the Julio Cesar chavez Jr.-Luciano Cuello main event at the Plaza de Toros, and Fernando dominated; he buckled Silva's knees with a left hook midway through the 2^nd round, then scored a knockdown later in the round with a right hand; Fernando scored two more knockdowns in the 3^rd round - the first with a left hook that bloodied Silva's mouth and nose, the second with a right uppercut - and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 2:44; Fernando became the "full" WBO bantamweight world champion when Gerry Penalosa vacated the title to move up in weight...

2008 - on 11-2-08 in Aguascalientes, MX, he won a 10 round unanimous decision in a nontitle fight against Alberto Rosas (27-4): the fight was on the undercard of the Ulises Solis-Nerys Espinoza main event at Palenque de la Feria; Rosas constantly pressed forward, but Fernando kept him off-balance with movement, boxed effectively, and dominated the fight; Rosas was penalized one point for headbutts in the 6^th round...

8^TH WBO JB WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 5-31-08 in San Luis Potosi, MX, he TKO'd former two-time world title challenger Luis Maldonado (37-2-1): the fight headlined at the Plaza de Toros el Paseo, and Fernando quickly overpowered Maldonado; he scored one knockdown with a right hand-left hook combination in the 1^st round and another with a right hand in the 3^rd - Maldonado got up, but Fernando rocked him with a series of punches and the referee stopped the fight at 2:58; after the fight Fernando said, "I demonstrated once again that I am ready. Maldonado was a very brave challenger, my respects to him, but always I knew that I''d knock him out because I prepared well."...

7^TH WBO JB WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 2-16-08 in Las Vegas, NV, he TKO'd lefthanded former 1996 Mexican Olympian and WBA super flyweight world champion Martin Castillo (33-2): the fight was on the undercard of the Kelly Pavlik-Jermain Taylor rematch, and Fernando dominated; Fernando scored a knockdown with a left hook and cut Castillo over his left eye early in the 1^st round; Fernando scored another knockdown with another left hook late in the 3^rd; he knocked down Castillo with a series of punches in the 4^th round, and Castillo was counted out at 1:56; after the fight, Fernando said, "Coming into the fight I felt very strong, and when I put him down in the first round, I knew it was going to be a very good night for me. Boxing is about styles, and I don't think he knew my style."...

2007 - 6^TH WBO JB WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 10-4-07 in Las Vegas he TKO'd Luis Melendez (25-2-1): the bout headlined at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and it was a fast-paced, exciting fight; Melendez was cut over his left eye by a clash of heads in the 4^th round that also raised a swelling on Fernando's forehead; Fernando scored a knockdown with a right hand in the 6^th round, but Melendez came back and knocked down Fernando with a left hook and cut him over his left eye in the 7^th; Fernando finished the fight strongly - he staggered Melendez with a right hand in the 12^th round, then scored another knockdown with a left hook to the body - Melendez got up, but Fernando rocked him with a series of punches and the referee stopped the fight at 1:58; both fighters were battered and bloody at the end; after 11 rounds, Fernando led by scores of 107-100, 107-100, 107-101; after the fight, Fernando said, "I expected a tough fight. I'd seen him before. But he was tougher than I expected - he was in great condition and gave it everything he had. But I knew I was the better fighter."...

5^TH WBO JB WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 7-14-07 in Ciudad Obregon, MX, he TKO'd Cecilio Santos (22-7-2): the fight headlined at the Explanada Tecate; Santos gave a good effort, but Fernando dominated most of the fight; he scored one knockdown in the 5^th round, then scored two more in the 10^th - the first with a body punch, the second with a series of punches - and the referee stopped the fight at 2:15; after nine rounds, Fernando led by scores of 89-81, 89-81, 86-84...

4^TH WBO JB WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 2-24-07 in Cebu, PH, he won a 12 round split decision against lefthanded local favorite Z Gorres (26-1-1): the bout headlined at the Sports Center and drew a reported crowd of 20,000; it was a good fight and a controversial decision; Gorres started fast - he swept the first two rounds on all three scorecards and built an early lead - after six rounds, the fight was scored 58-56, 58-56 Gorres, 57-57; Gorres swept the 8^th and 9^th rounds, but Fernando came on strongly in the late rounds - he rocked Gorres with a right hand in the 10^th and swept the round, and Gorres was penalized one point in the round for holding, then Fernando won the 11^th and 12^th on two scorecards and Gorres was penalized another point for holding in the 12^th round, as well; many ringsiders thought Gorres deserved to win, but the judges scored 115-111, 114-112 Montiel, 115-111 Gorres...

2006 - WBO B WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE DEFENSE -on 5-27-06 in Carson, CA, he lost a 12 round split decision against defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez (32-4): Fernando moved up to the bantamweight division and was physically overmatched; he and Gonzalez were also friends outside of the ring; Gonzalez pressed forward and Fernando boxed and moved, but it was a slow-paced, tacital fight and the crowd booed the lack of action from the 2^nd round; several rounds were close and hard to score, and Fernando was cut under his right eye in the 9^th round; Gonzalez finished the fight strongly - he won the 8^th, 9^th, 10^th, and 12^th rounds on two scorecards, and won by scores of 118-111, 116-112 Gonzalez, 115-113 Montiel...

2005 - 3^RD WBO JB WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 10-29-05 in Tucson, AZ, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against 1992 Olympian and previously undefeated Pramuansak Posuwan (29-0-1): the bout headlined a Mexico versus Thailand "World Cup" fightcard - Mexico won 4-0 in WBO world title fights and 5-1 overall; the first half of the fight was slow-paced and very close - after six rounds, the judges scored 58-56 Posuwan, 57-57, 57-57; but the pace and action intensified in the second half; Posuwan scored a controversial knockdown with a left hook to the body in the 8^th round - replays showed the punch was clearly low; Posuwan tired late in the fight and his right eye was swollen badly, and Fernando rallied strongly after that - he won the 9^th on two scorecards, then swept the 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th rounds; Fernando was cut on the bridge of his nose in the 12^th round, but also scored a knockdown that replays showed was really more of a punch-slip; scored 115-112, 114-112, 114-112...

2^ND WBO JB WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 7-16-05 in Las Vegas, NV, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against late substitute Evert Briceno (21-2): the fight was on the undercard of the Jermain Taylor-Bernard Hopkins I main event at the MGM Grand; Fernando boxed and moved effectively and dominated most of the fight; Briceno rallied in the late rounds - he swept the 11^th on all three scorecards and won the 12^th on two, but Fernando won by scores of 118-110, 117-111, 117-111...

WON WBO JB WORLD TITLE -on 4-9-05 in El Paso, TX, he TKO'd previously undefeated defending champion Ivan Hernandez (21-0-1): the fight was on the undercard of the Marco Antonio Barrera-Mzonke Fana main event at the Don Haskins Center, and Fernando dominated; he scored three knockdowns with body punches - one in the 6^th round and two more in the 7^th, and the referee stopped the fight at 1:48; after six rounds, Fernando led by scores of 59-55 on all three scorecards...

2004 - on 9-3-04 in Tucson he knocked out Reynaldo Hurtado (37-5-1): Hurtado had a six-inch height advantage, but Fernando dominated the fight; he consistently outworked Hurtado and landed the sharper punches; Fernando scored a knockdown with three left hooks to the body in the 7^th round, and Hurtado was counted out at 1:30; after the fight, Fernando said, "I could have knocked Hurtado out earlier, but I needed the workout."...

On 4-29-04 in Laredo, TX, he knocked out lefthander Samuel Lopez (14-2): Fernando scored a knockdown with a series of punches in the 3^rd round - Lopez got up but Fernando rocked him again, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:02...

On 1-16-04 in Hidalgo, TX, he TKO'd former NABF super bantamweight champion late substitute Roberto Lopez (22-14-1): Lopez fought very aggressively, but Fernando boxed effectively and dominated fight fight; he scored a knockdown with a left hook to the body in the 3^rd round - Lopez got up but turned away in resignation, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:38; after the fight, Fernando said, "I am very happy with the outcome of the fight. I prepared very hard and I felt very good in there. It felt great fighting in front of so many fans."...

2003 - LOST WBO JB WORLD TITLE - on 8-16-03 in Uncasville, CT, he lost a 12 round majority decision against lefthanded former IBF flyweight and jr. bantamweight world champion Mark Johnson (41-3): Johnson dominated the early rounds and scored a knockdown with a right hook in the 5^th round; Fernando rallied in the 8^th round and kept a busier pace for the rest of the fight, but Johnson won by scores of 115-112, 117-110, 114-114...

On 5-9-03 in San Diego, CA, he TKO'd former WBO flyweight world champion Ruben Sanchez (28-13-1): the fight headlined at the Sports Arena and drew a reported crowd of 3,402; Fernando scored two knockdowns in the 2^nd round - the first with a left hook to the body, the second with series of body punches - and the referee stopped the fight in mid-count at 3:00; after the fight Fernando said, "I worked hard for this fight. I knew he was a champion. I feel very strong at this division."...

1^ST WBO WORLD JB TITLE DEFENSE - on 1-18-03 in Los Mochis, MX, he TKO'd lefthander Roy Doliguez (11-6-3): Doliguez scrored a knockdown in the 1^st round, but Fernando came  back to score three knockdowns in the 3^rd round...

2002 - WON WBO JB WORLD TITLE - on 6-22-02 in Las Vegas, NV, he TKO'd previously undefeated defending champion Pedro Alcazar (25-0-1): the fight was on the undercard of the Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales rematch at the MGM Grand; Fernando held the WBO flyweight world title and was moving up in weight; Alcazar pressed forward and won the first two rounds on two scorecards, but Fernando boxed and moved effectively and shut him out on the scorecards after that; at 1:16 of the 6^th round; after five rounds, Fernando led by scores of 50-44, 49-46, 49-46; Fernando hurt Alcazar with a body punch in the 5^th round, then rocked him with a series of punches in the 6^th and the referee stopped the fight at 1:16; Alcazar passed away from brain injuries two day later...

2001- 3^RD WBO FL WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 9-8-01 in Reno, NV, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against former three-time world title challenger Jose "Carita" Lopez (24-6-1): Fernando built an early lead; he cut Lopez over both eyes and bloodied his nose, and Lopez was penalized one point for low blows in the 4^th round; Lopez rallied and scored a knockdown in the 9^th round, but Fernando recovered, finished strongly, and won by scores of 118-110, 116-110, 116-111...

2^ND WBO WORLD TITLE FL DEFENSE - on 5-25-01 in Acapulco, MX, he knocked out former WBO light flyweight world champion Juan Cordoba (35-5-3): Fernando scored two knockdowns, and Cordoba was counted out at 2:15 of the 1^st round...

1^ST WBO WORLD TITLE FL DEFENSE -on 3-24-01 in Munich, GER, he TKO'd 1996 Olympic bronze medalist and WBO No. 1 ranked Zoltan Lunka (21-1): at 2:03 of the 7^th round; after six rounds, Fernando led by scores of 60-54, 60-54, 59-55...

2000 - WON WBO FL WORLD TITLE - on 12-15-00 in Ciudad Obregon, MX, he TKO'd defending champion Isidro Garcia (21-1-1): Fernando dominated the fight; he scored knockdowns in the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 6^th rounds, and stopped Garcia at 2:15 of the 7^th round; after six rounds, Fernando led by scores of 59-52, 58-53, 58-53...

On 4-14-00 in Ciudad Obregon he TKO'd former Mexican bantamweight champion Cruz Carvajal (18-9-1): in the 4^th round; Carvajal went on to win the WBO bantamweight world title...

On 3-17-00 in Guaymas, MX, he knocked out Armando Correa (2-5): in the 5^th round...

He debuted at the age of 17 on 12-6-96...

AMATEUR, PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Fernando said through an interpreter, "I was born and raised in Los Mochis, Sinaloa. I have four brothers and two sisters. My father has always been in boxing. He was a professional boxer in the 60s and 70s. He trains fighters and works with them all the time.

"There are a whole lot of fighters in the Montiel family. I've got it in my blood. Three of my brothers were fighters, and some of my uncles and cousins, too. I think 11 or 12 guys in the family have been boxers at one time.

"I've seen pictures of myself as a little kid with the gloves on, in the fighting stance. I've been putting on the gloves ever since I can remember. I remember actually fighting when I was five years old.

"I was about 45-3 in amateur fights. I won several local and state tournaments. I won a silver medal in the nationals.

"I was invited to go the training camp with the Olympic team, but my father didn't like it. He never liked the amateurs, and he decided that wasn't a good way to go and I turned professional instead."...

STRENGTHS: Has an aggressive style...has good skills and movement...has good punching power...tough, determined, and durable...is experienced against top opposition...comes from a strong family boxing background...

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 49 fights...282 total rounds...145 world championship rounds...

AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 5.8 rounds...

KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 69 %...

DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds - 8 (6-2)...10 rounds - 7 (6-0-1)...