By Cliff Rold

Fernando Montiel (53-4-2, 39 KO) kept his hopes for a title shot at Jr. Lightweight alive with a unanimous ten-round decision over previously undefeated Sergio Puente (15-1, 6 KO) on Saturday night at the Gimnasio Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. 

Both men weighed in at 128 lbs. The referee was Sergio Hernandez. 

Puente - an unbeaten 26-year old prospect from Guadalupe, Mexico - made Montiel work in spots, and caused a mouse under his left eye, but it was ultimately a difference in classes in the ring. Scores came in at 98-91 and 96-93 twice.  

The win is Montiel’s seventh in a row since a narrow defeat to Victor Terrazas at 122 lbs. in 2011. The 35-year old fighting pride of boxing rich Los Mochis, Mexico has previously enjoyed title reigns at flyweight, super flyweight and bantamweight, a unified titlist in the latter weight class. 

UNDERCARD

The televised opener was over almost as quickly as it began.

25-year old southpaw Welterweight Jose Zepeda (21-0, 18 KO), 143, of La Puente, California, went through 29-year old veteran Victor Cayo (32-6, 23 KO), 143 ¼, of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to score the eighth first-round knockout of his career.

Zepeda set up the finish with a jarring right lead, finishing a shaken Cayo with a left to the chin that dropped Cayo near the ropes.  Cayo wobbled up at nine but referee Hector Molina wisely waved the matter closed at 1:27 of the first.  Cayo suffers his third knockout loss in four starts.  All of his career losses have come inside the distance.

Zepeda entered the bout rated #12 by the IBF at 140 lbs.

The card was broadcast in the US on BeIn Sports Espanol, promoted by Zanfer.      

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene and a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at

roldboxing@hotmail.com