Fernando Montiel, Nonito Donaire Weigh In, But Not Without Drama

LAS VEGAS -- Former WBA interim super flyweight (115 pounds) titlist, Nonito Donaire (pictured above, at right) and WBO and WBC king, Fernando Montiel (pictured above, at left), each successfully weighed in at the bantamweight (118) limit for Saturday night's HBO televised clash at the Mandalay Bay Hotel -- but not without a bit of drama.

The 28-year-old Donaire (25-1, 17 knockouts) arrived at the site of the weigh in -- the Mizuya Lounge -- about five minutes prior to the announced starting time of 3 p.m.

Donaire then stripped to his waist, stepped onto the scale, and quickly stepped off before hastily leaving the stage and appearing to be hustled out of the restaurant in the center of several camp members and a body guard.

In Donaire's wake, members of the team of the 31-year-old Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KOs) were noticeably upset, with at least one of them gesturing upward with a pointed index finger and mouthing that the younger fighter was "Over the weight limit by about a pound."

At that point, Top Rank Promotions CEO, Bob Arum, grabbed a microphone and announced that the weigh-in would begin at 4 p.m., an appearance of pushing the event back an hour.

Asked if he knew if there was an issue with Donaire's weight, Nevada State Athletic Commission chairman, Keith Kizer, indicated that he was unaware of any problem.



At about 3:20 p.m., Donaire returned, stepped on the scale, and was announced to have weighed 118, as did Montiel soon after.

"Nonito was a little bit over 118 pounds with his pants on. Once he took his pants off, he was 118," said Arum, explaining the earlier situation.

"The earlier weigh in didn't count. That was a trial weigh-in," said Arum. "It was not official. Nonito weighed 118 and less than a quarter -- but again, that was with his pants on."





After weighing in the second time, Donaire was again hustled from the restaurant under high guard, this, to allow him to eat, hydrate and begin his pre-fight relaxation period, according to his trainer, Robert Garcia.

"We came from Nonito's room and his scale, and he was at 117 pounds. So I told him, 'You know what?' No. I don't think that you're that light. So I said, 'Let's go and do it on the official scale,'" said Garcia.

"So that's the only reason that we came and checked his weight on the official scale," said Garcia. "We came down here and checked him with his pants on, and he was 118 and a half. So I said, 'You know what? You're right on weight.' That's a half a pound, and that's it. And I was right."



Asked if there was any exercising on the part of Donaire in an attempt to lose weight between his two trips to the scale, Garcia answered to the negative.

"There no weight issues. But right away, we went to the doctors and we did what we needed to do before the real weigh-in. There are no problems at all," said Garcia.

"But let people believe that. That would be good, expecially if Montiel believes that," said Garcia. "But we didn't do anything today. He actually drank a little bit of liquids before the weigh in. It was easy, and he's right on weight."

Read more: Fernando Montiel-Nonito Donaire: The Experts Weigh In