Montiel Stops Hasegawa in the Biggest Win of His Career

“I know [it’s] hard to believe, but when I [was] very young and barely starting to learn to box,” said three-time world champion Fernando Montiel, “I had a dream that one day I would win a world championship in Japan against their top champion. It was a dream that I had many times when I was young, but [it was] something that became a goal as I got into the professional ranks and started to win championships.”

That dream became a reality Friday, April 30, in Japan when Montiel stopped Hozumi Hasegawa in the fourth round to capture the WBC bantamweight championship. This was no ordinary win for Montiel: It was the biggest win of his brilliant career. He not only stopped a fighter with 11 successful title defenses, but did so in that fighter’s birth country in front of 10,000 of fans.

Playing it cool, Montiel had the following thoughts on his impressive victory: “I never worried about coming to Japan and not getting the verdict. I trained to win by knockout and take the decision away from the judge’s hands–not that I worried about them. I just wanted to make [a] statement about my talent, and I knew a big win over Hasegawa would give my career a big boost.

“This fight was all about staying with the game plan. I figured it would take a few rounds to feel him out and then go after him. But when I landed the big hook, I knew he was hurt, and I went after him and I was able to finish him.

“I expected a tough fight early as I got use to his speed and style, and then I expected to take over and take him out in the later rounds. But when I caught him with the big punch, I did not want to wait, and so I just went after him. The referee, Laurence Cole, did a good job in stopping the fight. He [Hasegawa] was just hanging on the ropes and he was done.”

Montiel, the current WBO bantamweight champion and former WBO flyweight and super flyweight title-holder, said of the group of friends and fans who traveled to Japan to cheer him on: “I want to thank those fans that travel[ed] all the way here to support me. They were not many, but they were vocal. I want to thank Fernando Beltran and Zanfer, as well as Top Rank, my father, my brothers, and everyone in Mexico who have always believed in me.”

Montiel concluded with a look ahead: “First I will take a rest, but I [would] love to fight NONITO DONAIRE, Vic Darchynian, and then make my way up to 122 pounds and look for a fourth world title in a fourth weight class.”