source: Ronnie Nathanielsz | manilastandardtoday.com

World Boxing Organization flyweight champion Brian Viloria is seeking a unification title fight sometime in March next year against either World Boxing Council champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand or World Boxing Association champion Hernan Marquez of Mexico.

Viloria spoke to the Manila Standard prior to returning to Los Angeles with his wife Erika, yesterday evening.

“What I really want to do is a unification bout with one of the champions. Hopefully, that will happen but I’m not sure who is going to be up next,” said Viloria. “We are looking at (Hernan) Marquez and (Pongsaklek) Wonjongkam. I don’t know how big it’s going to be, but a match with Ivan Calderon is also possible. Whatever will make sense.”

Viloria retained his title with a masterful eighth-round technical knockout win during his mandatory defense against Mexican Giovani Segura, a former light flyweight champion and Ring Magazine’s no. 9 in the pound-for-pound rankings, last Dec. 11. The fight card was presented by Solar Sports, in cooperation with Zanfer Promotions at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Pongsaklek is the 34-year-old Thai southpaw with a record of 83-3-1 with 44 knockouts. He won the title with a stunning first-round TKO over the Philippines Malcolm Tunacao and had 17 successful title defenses before losing to Japan’s Daisuke Naito on July 18, 2007, in Tokyo.

Pongsaklek regained the interim title with a win over Julio Cesar “Pingo” Miranda on April 24, 2009.

Miranda was the same fighter from whom Viloria won the title at the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu last July 16.

In his last title defense, Pongsaklek won a 12-round unanimous decision over former champion and one time Viloria conqueror Edgar Sosa, last Oct. 21.

The 23-year-old southpaw Marquez has a record of 32-2 with 25 knockouts. He won the title with an 11th-round TKO over Luis Concepcion on April 2, 2011.

Marquez previously lost to Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire via an eighth-round TKO in an interim super flyweight title bout in Puerto Rico on July 10, 2010, in which the Filipino dominated, dropping Marquez in Rounds 5 and 8.

source: Joaquin Henson | philstar.com

Veteran referee Samuel Viruet of New York City said he stopped the fight between defending WBO flyweight champion Brian Viloria and Mexican challenger Giovani Segura at 0:29 of the eighth round at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City last Sunday morning to avoid a life-threatening situation.

“I didn’t want Segura killed,” said the 65-year-old Viruet who worked the Fernando Montiel-Z Gorres fight for the WBO superflyweight crown in Cebu in 2007. “I wanted Segura to go home alive to his wife and kids. If I didn’t stop it, Segura would’ve been seriously injured. I felt the lump on his head. It was hard so I suspected it was a fracture. If it were a hematoma, it would’ve been soft like jelly.”

A hematoma would’ve burst and spewed out blood with the pounding that Viloria administered. Segura was brought to the Medical City for observation after the fight and initial findings pointed to a fracture of the orbital floor of the facial skeleton. He was scheduled to leave Manila last Monday but postponed the departure because of his condition.

Viruet came in with over 60 world title fights under his belt as a referee. He said last July, he worked a fight in Atlantic City where Cuban Erislandy Lara had a similar lump on his forehead. Viruet said he allowed the bout to continue because the swelling didn’t get bigger. Lara eventually lost a majority 12-round decision to Paul Williams in a WBC lightmiddleweight title eliminator. In Segura’s case, the lump emerged on the right temple in the second round and by the sixth, it had swelled to the right forehead and right cheek, obstructing vision in the right eye. The damage could be like what Antonio Margarito suffered in losing to Manny Pacquiao on points in Dallas last year.

Viruet must have heard about how close Segura is to his wife Yetlandy and their two children, 5-year-old Katie and six-month-old Giovani Jr. Segura said before the fight, he is driven by his goal of providing a better life for his family. His dream is to buy a home that he can call his own.

Viloria said he was told Viruet advised Segura before the start of the eighth round, he would stop it if the Mexican couldn’t stem the tide. “The referee gave Segura one more round,” said Viloria. “I was determined to win. I didn’t want to take chances because I knew Segura could turn things around with one punch.”

Shortly after the eighth round began, Viloria landed a vicious left hook that caught Segura flush on his lump. Segura reeled back and was clearly hurt, his legs wobbly. Viruet quickly jumped in to wave it off.

Viloria, 31, said it was the biggest win of his storybook career only because Segura had to be his toughest opponent ever. “I could’ve made it easy by boxing from a distance and avoiding a brawl but I wanted Giovani to respect my power,” said Viloria. “I actually didn’t follow our game-plan which was to box and move. I had my own plan and I kept it to myself. I wanted to stand my ground. I wanted to prove myself against one of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters. I wanted to show I could dish out as much as I took. I couldn’t allow Giovani to push me around and bully me.”

Viloria vs. Segura – Round 7 & 8

Viloria said his two-fisted attack took the fight out of Segura’s heart. “My plan was to make him think, to make him worry,” he said. “I hit him with my left and my right. I did hooks, crosses and jabs. I wanted him to feel my power. In the end, he was desperate. His lump got bigger and it was my target. I knew exactly what to expect from Giovani. I never predicted I would knock him out but I knew what I had to do to win. He fought exactly as we expected. Still, he was always dangerous. That’s why I never stayed on the ropes too long. He kept pressing and pushing me towards the ropes and into the corners. I felt his power. I wanted him to feel mine, too.”

Viloria finished the bout with his left eye half-shut and blood trickling down from a cut in the corner of his left eye. Segura’s face was transformed into a grotesque disfigurement. The right side of his face was badly swollen. He also had a cut over his right eye.

Viloria’s trainer Mario Morales, a Mexican journeyman who has fought former world champions Juan Martin Coggi and Ike Quartey, said he knew how the fight would end all along. “I told you so,” said Morales. “I knew it would be easy for Brian. Giovani is all power with no style. Now, the fans will respect Brian for what he really is – a true champion who deserves pound-for-pound recognition as one of the world’s best fighters.”

**

Photo Credits: Dong Secuya | Philboxing.com

The up and down career of Brian Viloria remains on the rise for the moment, thanks to an impressive eighth round stoppage over Giovani Segura in their alphabet flyweight title fight Sunday morning (local time) at Yñares Sports Arena in Pasig City, Philippines.  The official time was 0:21 of the eighth round.

Segura came out aggressive (does he know any other way?) in the opening round, taking advantage of Viloria’s lazy jab. Still, it was the defending titlist who enjoyed the round’s best moment, connecting with a left hook that briefly shook his challenger. Segura was unable to respond, save for a very low blow to towards the end of the round.

The crowd rallied behind Viloria – Hawaiian born, but of Filipino descent – in what turned out to be a huge round. Segura had early success, but was slowed down by a steady body that left him winded by rounds end, and left with blood streaming from his right eye due to right hands scored upstairs by Viloria.

Viloria’s left eye began to swell in the third, but continued to do damage downstairs. Segura was slowly punching his way back into the fight, but was a bit out of control whenever throwing upstairs. That changed in the fourth, when the American-based Mexican worked his way inside, negating Viloria’s advantages and turning the fight into a grind-‘em out brawl.

Segura’s body attack allowed the former lineal junior flyweight king to get back into the fight in the fifth round, constantly pressuring Viloria. His right hooks upstairs were wild, winging shots that never came close to landing, but was able to control most the action whenever he was able to keep it in a phone booth. Viloria enjoyed a late surge in the final minute, though not enough to take the round.

Chants of “Vi-lo-ria” filled the arena in the sixth, a round that was filled with two-way action. Viloria’s success came in the role of counter puncher, though a dangerous position to play as it meant allowing Segura to get off first and continue to dig to the body. His mode of attack changed for the better in the seventh, scoring right hands from the outside to prevent Segura from getting his punches off.

A bizarre sequence of events took place prior to the eighth round. With his right eye now swollen shut, Segura was prepared to go out to battle before being confused by referee Samuel Viruet’s waving his arms to suggest the end of the fight. The Viloria corner began to celebrate before the third man decided to let the round begin and the fight continue.

Viloria’s celebration would begin soon enough. The two-division champion immediately attacked, backing up Segura until the referee jumped in to finally wave off the fight for good.

Segura didn’t protest the stoppage, at least not visibly, as he was feeling his right eye with his glove while Viloria’s corner partied it up across the ring.

The win is the fourth straight for Viloria, who improves to 30-3 (17KO). The last remaining hope of the 2000 U.S. Olympic boxing squad, Viloria makes the first defense of the alphabet title he picked up earlier this summer with a decision win over Julio Cesar Miranda in his native Hawaii.

Segura falls to 28-2-1 (25KO) with the loss, as he was stopped for the first time in his career. The former junior flyweight king had won nine straight dating back to March ’09, but took a chance in vacating his 108 lb. crown and now heads back to his California home empty handed.

UNDERCARD

Featherweight contender Martin Honorio boxed his way to a decision win over Fahsai Sakkraeerin in the evening’s co-feature. Scores were

Honorio was in complete control in a bout that wasn’t aesthetically pleasing, but proved effective for the Mexican veteran. Sakkreerim was aggressive, but fell into the traps set by a counter punching Honorio, who scored with his right hand throughout the bout.

Both fighters shifted gears later in the fight. Honorio found himself along the ropes on several occasions, though was able to fight his way out by attacking the body.

The win marks three straight for Honorio, who improves to 32-6-1 (16KO). The win puts him in contention for a future title shot at Juan Carlos Salgado (who was fighting in Mexico as this went to publish), but getting to that point might require a rematch with Argenis Mendez, againt whom he dropped a narrow decision in May ’10.

Sakkreerim snaps a two-year, 12-fight winning streak with the loss as he falls to 36-3 (20KO).

In a major upset, Ardin Diale scored a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Lolito Sonsona. Scores were 98-92 across the board in the flyweight preliminary bout.

source: gmanetwork.com

It was expected to be a candidate for fight of the year, but few expected that they would be witnessing a contender for the upset of the year.

Brian “The Hawaiian Punch” Viloria, making the first defense of his WBO Flyweight title, pulled off the biggest victory of his career Sunday afternoon, stopping pound for pound elite Giovani Segura of Mexico in the eighth round of their fight at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The end came at the :29 second mark when referee Samuel Viruet deemed that a grotesque hematoma on the right side of Segura’s face — the product of Viloria’s accuracy with the left hook — left the Mexican challenger unable to defend himself.

At the start, Segura, who once had been Viloria’s sparring partner, appeared ready for the Filipino boxer’s traditional money punch right cross, but apparently not for his left hook.

Sweetest victory

“This is the sweetest victory,” said Viloria, now 30-3 (17 KO) of Waipahu, Hawaii. “More than the (Ulises) Solis fight, more than the (Julio Cesar) Miranda fight.”

Viloria was noticeably vigilant throughout the fight. “He (Segura) has some heavy hands,” he said. “I understand why he knocked out 24 of his 29 opponents.”

Segura of Bell, California, who now stands at 28-2 (24 KO), was heavily-favored by most in the media heading into the bout, due in part to his number nine ranking on RING Magazine’s pound for pound list, which he earned for his two knockout victories over modern ring legend Ivan Calderon.

After a competitive opening round, Viloria, 31, found his mark with the left hook in the second round, creating a hematoma on the right side of the 29-year-old Segura’s head. The swelling was reminiscent of the bizarre growth on Hasim Rahman’s head that halted his bout with Evander Holyfield in 2002.

By the fifth round, the hematoma had grown to obscure Segura’s vision.

Mighty left hooks

Viloria continued to push his advantage, landing repeatedly with the left hook and mixing in body shots against an increasingly fatigued Segura. The referee appeared to give Segura one last chance to pull out the victory, second-guessing his initial instinct to halt the bout after the seventh, but quickly reverting back once he saw that Segura was compromised in the eighth.

Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Viloria’s manager, Gary Gittelsohn, cited fellow flyweight titlists Pongsaklek Wongjongkam and Hernan “Tyson” Marquez as possible next contenders for Viloria, as well as Ivan Calderon, who was Viloria’s chief rival in the amateurs.

Unbeaten Filipino flyweight contender Milan Melindo of Cebu was on hand at the post-fight press conference, both to lend support to his countryman and scout a possible future opponent.

Underdog

Viloria said before the fight that he relished the underdog role, just as he had prior to winning his second world title at 108 pounds in 2009 against Ulises Solis, whom he knocked out in the eleventh.

For Viloria, an Olympic representative for the United States in 2000, the victory was vindication for all of his past disappointments, including his unexpected TKO loss to Carlos Tamara last year, which had many calling for his retirement.

While both men felt that their history as sparring partners would give them the advantage, in the end Viloria outsmarted boxing aficionados.

“I told everyone I was going to run,” said a laughing Viloria. “I faked everyone out.” — KBK, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) flyweight champion Brian Viloria believes a victory over Giovani Segura on Sunday could secure his claim as one of boxing’s all-time greatest fighters in the lower weight division.

The 31-year-old Viloria, a three-time world champion said Segura is a special kind of fighter as his tough Mexican challenger has the speed and power to knock out any of his opponent.

Segura is a former WBO light-flyweight title holder and is the one responsible for putting two losses on Puerto Rican Ivan Calderon’s Hall of Fame resume. He’s also considered one of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters today, landing at No. 9 in The Ring Magazine’s list.

“(Segura’s) not a regular fighter, so this fight is a chance for me to be looked at as a great champion,” said Viloria, a native of Waipahu, Hawaii.

Viloria (28-3 with 16 knockouts), going into the 12-round fight, is also a 2-1 underdog against Segura, who used to spar with the Filipino-American boxer.

But the champion doesn’t mind being the underdog and saw the situation as a big challenge the way he did when he stunned durable Mexican Ulises Solis in 2009 posting an 11th-round KO win over the then reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight division champion at the Araneta Coliseum.

“You know, when you put a challenge in front of me, I always try to do my best. People say you can’t do it, but you try to prove them wrong,” said the 2000 Sydney Olympian. “I see this fight as a challenge, being up against a fighter who is a great in terms of pound-for-pound.”

“I can change and adopt inside the ring, and try to give him a different look,” said Viloria, who believes his ring experience will be his biggest advantage against Segura (28-1, 24 KOs).

“I have seen all the fighters’ style,” said Viloria, had fought the likes of Solis, Carlos Tamara, Eric Ortiz, Edgar Sosa, Omar Nino Romero and Julio Cesar Miranda, to name a few.

“And I have versatility,” he added, noting the challenger is only known as a one-dimensional fighter who knows nothing but to brawl.

Samuel Viruet of the United States will be the third man on the ring while the three ring judges scoring bout are Danrex Tapdasan (Philippines), Harry Davis (Canada) and Ulysess Glen (U.S). — JVP, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Giovani Segura may hold a fearsome record, but World Boxing Organization (WBO) 112-pound champion Brian Viloria said there is nothing to be scared of when he faces his deadly Mexican challenger on Sunday.

“I’m not afraid of him, not unless he’s got four arms and four legs,” Viloria said, drawing laughter from the packed crowd at New World Hotel’s The Palladium for the official press conference of his 12-round fight against Segura for the WBO flyweight title.

“I’ve trained hard for this fight. I’m confident about this fight. It doesn’t matter whether he’s the pound-for-pound fighter of the world. I hope Giovani is ready for us to give fans a good fight,” said the 30-year-old Viloria, owner of a 29-3 record with 16 knockouts.

The title match dubbed ‘Island Assault 3’, will be held at the Ynares Sports Arena and will be aired by GMA-7 and Solar Sports.

Segura, formerly the WBO light-flyweight champion, holds an impressive 28-1-1 record with 24 of those wins by KO. His last loss, via unanimous decision, was against Colombian Cesar Cancila on July 26, 2008.

And the 29-year-old challenger, ranked ninth in the pound-for-pound list of The Ring Magazine, the so-called Bible of boxing, made no secret of his intention to knock Viloria cold and bring home the Filipino’s flyweight crown back to his hometown of Ciudad Altamirano in Guerrero state.

Segura was known to be the only boxer to beat former world champion Ivan Calderon of Puerto Rico twice.

Calderon, who had never been KO’d after 34 fights in his pro career, lost his WBO and The Ring flyweight titles to Segura by an eighth-round KO loss in their first meeting in 2010. Segura then destroyed Calderon in three rounds in their 2011 rematch.

But the Mexican, who speaks fluent English after growing up in California, admitted Viloria is a different kind of fighter than Calderon.

“Brian is a better fighter than Calderon. He has more power and speed,” said Segura, who is trained by controversial Mexican cornerman Javier Capetillo.

Capetillo is best remembered for the hand wraps scandal that hounded Antonio Margarito’s career.

Both Viloria and Segura maintain a high regard for each other since they used to be sparmates, a connection that evolved into a strong friendship outside the boxing ring.

“Me and Brian are friends,” said the challenger, who added that he’ll put his friendship with the Filipino-American champion on hold once the opening bell rings.

“Everybody knows Segura has power and his record shows, that’s no secret to nobody,” said the champion, making the mandatory defense of the title he won after a 12-round unanimous decision against Julio Cesar Miranda last July. “Now, we’ll see during the fight if he can land those shots.”

Former North American Boxing Organization (NABO) lightweight champion Martin Honorio will challenge Thailand’s Fahsai Sakkreerin for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Pacific super-featherweight title. — JVP, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

World Boxing Organization flyweight champ Brian Viloria arrived in the Philippines Saturday to prepare to defend his title against Mexican Giovanni Segura in Pasig City on Dec. 11.

Viloria said he wants to defend his title as a Christmas gift to himself and to Filipinos, according to a report on GMA’s noontime newscast “Balitanghali.”

The champ arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from his base in Hawaii, even as Segura arrived in the country earlier to train and acclimatize to the Philippine weather.

The report quoted Viloria as saying he was unfazed by some sectors claiming he is the underdog, saying he gets more motivated when he is considered one.

Both fighters will take to the ring at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on December 11.

Viloria is a three-time world champion who won the WBO title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Mexico’s Julio Cesar “Pingo” Miranda last July 16 in Honolulu.

He won his first world title with a sensational first-round knockout of Eric Ortiz at the Staples Center on September 10, 2005.

After losing the title by a controversial 12-round decision to Omar Nino Romero on August 10, 2006 in Las Vegas, Viloria came back with a spectacular 11th round knockout of Ulises Solis at the Araneta Coliseum on April 19, 2009 to win the IBF title.

After losing the title in a 12th-round TKO to Carlos Tamara of Panama on January 23, 2010, Viloria decided to move up to 112 and won the WBO flyweight crown.

Viloria, 31, has record of 29-3 with 16 knockouts. Segura, 29, has a record of 28-1 with one draw and 24 knockouts. — LBG, GMA News

source: philstar.com

Brian Viloria gears up for a key fight against Mexican Giovani Segura on Dec. 11 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig where he hopes to erase the stigma of a string of losses while defending his titles.

Viloria dethroned Julio Cesar Miranda last July to claim the WBO flyweight crown but is hard pressed to defend it against Segura to firm up his bid as a legitimate contender in the flyweight division.

Viloria (29-3-0, 16 KOs) knocked out Eric Ortiz in his first attempt at the WBC light flyweight title. He stopped Ulises Solis in the 11th in his first shot at the IBF light flyweight title.

Earlier this year, he won the WBO flyweight title in his very first title attempt in the higher division.

Winning titles for the first time has never been hard for Viloria. The hard part is keeping them.

After winning the WBC light fly title, Viloria defended it once against Jose Antonio Aguirre but lost it to Omar Soto. He failed to regain the title in two other tries.

Viloria also defended his IBF light fly crown once against Jesus Iribe but lost it to Carlos Tamara.

This time, he vowed to do better against an opponent who boasts of a 28-1-1 record, including 24 KOs, in the fight dubbed: Island Assault 3: Champion vs Champion.

A win will also get him a higher rating in Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound standing.

Meanwhile, tickets are available through Ticketnet (SM outlets) and Ticketworld – VIP: P500, ringside: P400, courtside: P250, bleachers: P150. For details, visit www.solarsports.ph.

source: Carlo Pamintuan | gmanetwork.com

Fresh from winning his third world title in his second weight division, Brian Viloria is out to climb the pound-for-pound rankings as he battles power-puncher Giovani Segura of Mexico.

On December 11, Viloria, who has a record of 29 wins and three losses with 16 KOs, is out to make the first defense of the WBO flyweight title which he won via unanimous decision victory over Julio Cesar Miranda. Viloria’s two title reigns have uneventful. He won his first title defense then lost the title in his second defense on both times. This time, Viloria wants to make it count.

Viloria problem in the past has been his unwillingness to let his hands go. A lot of people have blamed this on the fact that Ruben Contreras, one of Viloria’s earlier victims, nearly died after their fight. But in his last few fights, Viloria has found the fire that was missing for a very long time. Even though he still has a bit of a problem in sustaining a consistent punch output for 12 rounds, Viloria is slowly but surely reaching his deadly form.

Even though Segura is the challenger in this fight, Viloria also has a lot to gain if he wins over Segura as the Mexican is rated ninth in Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound rankings. Viloria only has a few more years of boxing in him and now is definitely the time to make sure he is not forgotten in the annals of boxing history. Beating Segura will give Viloria a higher pound-for-pound ranking which also means he may get the chance of unifying his titles with the other champions in the flyweight division such as Thailand’s Pongsaklek Wonjongkam.

Segura posses a sterling record of 28 wins, win only a single loss and a single draw. He also has an impressive knockout ratio as he has finished 24 of his 28 victims. He is the fighter who dealt Ivan Calderon his first defeat. Segura erased any doubts that his win over Calderon was a fluke by knocking him out again earlier this year. He has mainly fought in the light flyweight division but he had a hard time making weight in his last trip at 108 pounds so he decided to move up north to the flyweight division.

The Mexican’s calling card is his punching power. He has an awesome 80% knockout ratio which is rare in the lighter weights in boxing.

Boxing fans will also have an additional incentive if they watch the fight live at the Ynares Arena in Pasig as they will get to see Mexican legends Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. and Marco Antonio Barrera in the flesh. El Gran Campeon Mexicano and the Baby-Faced Assasin will cover the fight for Mexico’s TV Azteca.

The undercard will feature veteran Mexican fighter Martin Honorio (31-6-1, 16 KOs) versus Fahsai Sakkreerin (36-2-0, 20 KOs) of Thailand for the IBF interim super featherweight title. Al Sabaupan will also see action in the fight card billed as Island Assault 3. – GMA News