Former champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico reflects back on last Saturday's awesome two-round knockout that he suffered against Filipino Nonito Donaire at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. "Kochulito" appreciates the concern shown by so many of the people who love him and appreciate him, and says everything is well and there is nothing to worry about.
"There has been so much speculation....that I had surgery, that I was in a coma, that I had a fracture in my jaw and other injuries, but all of that is false. I'm fine and the clearest evidence of this is right in front of you," Montiel said.
What did the doctors say?
"That there was no internal damage. Many thought when I was on the canvas I was convulsing but I wasn't. The doctor told me that there had been no brain damage. My legs failed me because I got disconnected from the shot."
Was it a good stoppage?
"Yes, it was very good. I had no capacity to react or think. Thank God it was stopped before I got hit with another blow. God knows what would have happened or where I would be right now."
How would you break down the two rounds of the fight?
"The first round was to study and build a strategy. In the second I let go a little further and started doing what we had planned. I really felt like I was dominating the round. The punch wasn't by luck, but if you notice he hit me with his eyes closed after I had gotten to him first. "
What will happen to your career?
"I was in the elite of boxing and I do not think that a defeat will take that away. I have my career and my legacy has been defined. I'm not going to start again from the bottom. I will continue from where I was. Nothing has changed except before I was the champion and now I'm the challenger. I'll try to get the opportunity for a rematch, and if not, then I will move up in weight."
Mentally were you ready for defeat?
"Before a fight, you prepare as best as you can physically, but mentally you also have to be ready for defeat. As a kid you dream of being world champion, but sometimes you dream that you get knocked out. This is boxing and I was aware that sooner or later this can happen. I lost because I'm human. Ali, Tyson, Chavez, Leonard, they were all knocked out."
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