Narvaez strongly being considered for Donaire on Oct. 22 on HBO

RingTV.com has learned from several sources that unbeaten Omar Narvaez of Argentina is being strongly considered as the next opponent to challenge WBC and WBO bantamweight titleholder Nonito Donaire on Oct. 22 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Narvaez (35-0, 23 knockouts) is the WBO's junior bantamweight titleholder. He would be making his debut at 118 pounds against the 28-year-old Donaire (26-1, 18 KOs), who is No. 3 on THE RING’s pound-for-pound list.

The 36-year-old southpaw from Cordoba is coming off a unanimous decision over William Urina in June -- the third successful defense of the title he took from Everth Briceno in May of last year.

Narvaez won the WBO's flyweight belt by dethroning Adonis Rivas, flooring him once in the seventh round of their clash in July 2002. Narvaez then made 16 successful defenses of that title.

Donaire last fought on Feb. 19 in Las Vegas, scoring a second-round knockout of Fernando Montiel (45-3-2, 35 KOs). That was Donaire's 25th consecutive win and his 10th KO in his past 12 fights.

The Montiel fight was Donaire's second as a bantamweight, following a fourth-round knockout of ex-titleholder Volodymyr Sydorenko.

The 34-year-old Sydorenko (22-2-2, seven KOs) never had been stopped prior to facing Donaire, who broke the fighter's nose and dropped his opponent once in each of the first, third and fourth rounds.

Narvaez is seen as a challenge because of his experience and southpaw stance. He would be an underdog in part because of his age, his modest punching power and the fact that he rising in weight.

Donaire last faced a left-hander in July of last year, when he knocked out Hernan Marquez (31-2, 24 KOs) in the eighth round of their junior bantamweight fight.

The 22-year-old Marquez has since won four straight, all by knockout, and earned the WBA's flyweight belt.

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lem.satterfield@gmail.com