MANILA, Philippines - Brian Viloria came prepared to go the distance against his challenger from Mexico and the Filipino boxer also known as the “Hawaiian Punch” went on to keep his International Boxing Federation light-flyweight crown yesterday.
Viloria took early control of the match set for 12 rounds, but gave up a couple of rounds to the late-charging Jesus Iribe who in the early going fought like all he wanted was to be in the ring with the reigning 108-lb champ.
In the final round, however, it seemed that Iribe had Viloria in trouble, catching the 2000 Olympics silver medalist with a few good shots that had the crowd going and cheering wildly at the Blaisdell Center Arena in Hawaii.
Viloria did hang on, landing some good ones as he stayed out of trouble. Both fighters were trading blows when the final bell sounded. Immediately, they embraced each other on the center of the ring amid cheers.
All three judges had Viloria winning, 118-110, 117-112, 117-111. As the referee raised his hands in victory, Iribe was gracious in defeat, clapping his hands. Raised on the shoulders of his trainer, Viloria did the Hawaiian dance.
“We all fought our hearts out tonight. I hope you guys enjoyed that,” Viloria, now with 26-2 record with 15 knockouts, said later on. Iribe said he came to win but didn’t have enough power behind his fists, and dropped to 15-6-5.
It was the first defense of the title, which Viloria won over another tough Mexican, Ulises Solis, last April 19 at the Araneta Coliseum. He chose to take the fight to Hawaii, where he was born on Nov. 24, 1980 and rose to become a champion.
It was the first world title fight in Hawaii since 1976, and those who came to see the fight, mostly for Viloria, got what they wanted. For Viloria, it was also his first fight in Hawaii since he defeated Valentin Leon in 2003.
Viloria won the WBC light-flyweight crown in September of 2005 when he knocked out Eric Ortiz at the Staples Center, fighting as an undercard in the Manny Pacquiao-Hector Velasquez match.
But that reign proved short-lived as Viloria lost to Omar Niño Romero the year after. Romero was stripped of the crown after failing a drug test, and Viloria faced Edgar Sosa for the vacant crown, and again lost via decision.
Except for Viloria and his manager Gary Gittelsohn, many thought it was all over for the “Hawaiian Punch” who had to fight his next fight in places which he described as “places where people don’t even want to go.” He fought once in a swap meet in Los Angeles.
But Viloria posted a string of victories, leading to the fight with Solis. He did not waste the opportunity, getting too emotional after posting an 11th round knockout, and saying this time, he wants his reign as champion to last longer.
The victory over Iribe was proof that Viloria is there to stay. Now he wants a rematch with Sosa, and he might just get it as soon as possible. Two other fighters being considered as his next foe are Ivan Calderon and Japan’s Koki Kameda.
Viloria has not won seven fights in a row, and his next, he added, could be his last at 108 lb.
Two other Filipinos, AJ Banal and Dennie Laurente, hurdled their respective opponents in the card billed as “Island Assault.”
Banal survived a point deduction for a low blow in the ninth round, and three falls due to shoving to unanimously beat Mexico’s Jose Beranza in their 10-round flyweight contest.
It was bloody affair and both fighters wore cuts over their eyes by the time the fight ended. Banal, whose rise to face was momentarily halted by a bitter loss to Rafael Concepcion last year, improved to 20-1-1.
Laurente, also scored a unanimous decision over Mexico’s Zaid Zavalete in their light-welterweight bout. There were no knockdowns and the Filipino, after 10 rounds, raised his ring record to 32-3-5.
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