NIETES AND VILORIA TOGETHER IN PRACTICE AND IN SUPERFLY 2
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 11 Feb 2018
Donnie Nietes and Brian Viloria will fight in the same boxing card for the first time in Superfly 2 on February 24 at the Forum in Los Angeles. They have trained together now as they support each other to prepare for their own world title fights. The two Filipino boxing icons are now in the final phase of their respective regimen at the Wild Card gym in Hollywood, California as they became sparring partners to each other.
* * *
Nietes defends his International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight title against Juan Carlos Reveco of Argentina, while Viloria fights for the world title against Artem Dalakian of Ukraine for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight crown. The main event of Superfly 2 is the Srisaket Sor Rungvisai-Juan Francisco Estrada match for the World Boxing Council (WBC) super-flyweight championship.
* * *
Nietes and Viloria are thankful for the opportunity to assist each other to prepare throughly for one of boxing's sensational fight cards of the year. "The opportunity to work and spar with Brian Viloria has been very important and will get me ready for my fight on Feb. 24," said the 35-year-old Nietes (40-1, 22 KOs), as quoted by SPIN.ph. Nietes is trained by brothers Edito and Edmund Villamor of ALA Boxing Gym.
* * *
"It has been very cool working and sparring with Donnie. He is a true professional and I am still learning from him," said Viloria (38-5, 23 KOs). "The sparring has been high level and we are helping each other to get better all the time." The 37-year-old Viloria faces a heavy-punching Dalakian (15-0, 11 KO?s) whose last triumph is a sixth round stoppage of Luis Manuel Macias on April 22, 2017 in Ukraine.
* * *
Argentina's Reveco (39-3, 19 KOs) is a veteran two-time world champion. But Nietes says he is ready for him. "I expect a very tough fight. Reveco is a two-time world champion and is coming for my belt," said the longest reigning Filipino world champ. "I have to be at my best to beat him and I will be." Reveco's latest outing is a lopsided unanimous decision win against Thailand's Komgrich Nantapech in September. Reveco will be fighting in the United States for the first time.
* * *
In what he considers as his final fight, 49-year-old ring Roy Jones Jr. (66-9, 47 KOs) entertained his hometown fans by dominating Scott Sigmon (30-12-1, 16 KOs) by a ten round unanimous decision in a cruiserweight match at the Bay Center in Pensacola, Florida. All three judges saw it 98-92 for Jones. Even at his advanced age he controlled the fight with Sigmon. Jones won world titles at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight classes.
* * *
His fans for had long clamored for the aging Jones to retire but he continued to fight. Before the fight, he finally accepted that he was too old to continue fighting as a boxer. ?I?m not sad to get older, we all get old. I had a great prime. I was good in my prime, y?know? I wasn?t surprised that I was getting old, and that my abilities were getting more limited. Everybody knows everybody gets old, but I think some guys really don?t think their body will get old," Jones told BoxingScene.
* * *
?I accepted it. People told me to retire but I knew what I could do and I?ve never let anyone tell me what to do," added the first ballot Hall of Famer. He said there are things he wanted to accomplish that he knew were no longer within his reach. "I love boxing, even out of my prime I love boxing like I did when I was champ. But you can?t go on forever no matter how much you love it. It?s time, I?m ready to say goodbye,? ended Jones.
* * *
Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye and a 2018 first-round pick were traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Los Angeles Lakers for Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr, while Dwyane Wade has been shipped back to Miami for a protected second round pick. In a major revamp, Cleveland also acquired point guard George Hill from Sacramento and Rodney Hood from Utah, and dealt forward Jae Crowder and former league MVP Derrick Rose to the Jazz. Sacramento Kings got Cavs guard Iman Shumpert.
* * *
Cleveland just went 7-13 since Christmas Day, and the team's skid coincided with Thomas? comeback from injury. He was considered a defensive liability on a defensively weak squad and the Cavs thought it was the best option to trade him for a promising and talented guard in Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson and a skilled and massive player like Larry Nance Jr. Both players are expected to fit well with LeBron James' style of play and hope they will excel in their new team.
* * *
Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Asoociation (EVRAA) 2018 Official and Final Medal Tally (gold-silver-bronze) as of February 9, 2018 at Calbayog City, Samar:
Ormoc 109-56-74
Leyte 88-69-56
Maasin 24-35-30
Baybay 22-45-32
Tacloban 22-27-28
Biliran 17-18-40
Northern Samar 14-19-38
Calbayog 14-16-36
Eastern Samar 12-26-39
Samar 7-12-18
Borongan 6-7-6
Southern Leyte 3-8-14
Catbalogan 3-6-13
* * *
Brian Viloria's nickname of "The Hawaiian Punch" was first given to him by Jesus Salud, a fellow Hawaiian of Filipino descent and himself a former world champion in boxing. Salud a Filipino-American originally from Sinait, Ilocos Sur, resided in Honolulu, Hawaii. He won the WBA super bantamweight title by disqualification on December 11, 1989, in a match against Mexican Juan Jose Estrada. He lost to another Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera on December 1, 2000 by 6th round TKO for the WBO superbantamweight title. Salud's professional record is 63 wins, 38 by KO with 13 losses.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Filipino FIDE Master Mario Mangubat is the new FIDE World Senior 65 over category Rapid Champion
Sun, 24 Nov 2024Thunderdome 48 - Jude Grant vs Fano Kori
Sun, 24 Nov 2024World Boxing backs plan to create a new Confederation in Asia
Sun, 24 Nov 2024The message is clear – Asian Boxing Confederation remains united with the IBA
Sun, 24 Nov 2024OSCAR DE LA HOYA FOUNDATION HOSTS 25TH ANNUAL TURKEY GIVEAWAY FOR EAST LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY
Sun, 24 Nov 2024Life vs. Death: The Ultimate Ringside Showdown Immortalized in Pierce Egan’s Boxiana
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Sat, 23 Nov 2024SPORTS SHORTS 284: TEAM MARK MAGSAYO CONFIRMS RETURN TO THE RING ON DECEMBER 14
By Maloney L. Samaco, Sat, 23 Nov 2024RJP Boxing promotes in Bucana on Dec. 17
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 23 Nov 2024Good Prospects at Minimumweight, Light Fly, Super Bantam and Super Feather in 2025
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Sat, 23 Nov 2024Filipino International Master Chito Danilo Garma is the new World Senior Blitz champion; Filipino FIDE Master Mario Mangubat takes the bronze medal
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 23 Nov 2024KAMBOSOS JR SIGNS CO-PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH MATCHROOM
Sat, 23 Nov 2024INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAME TO ANNOUNCE CLASS OF 2025 ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5th
Sat, 23 Nov 2024Ring Master promotes in Calinan on Dec. 21
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Nov 2024NP Bansalan boxing team in Matalam
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Nov 2024New York, Minnesota Biggest Trade Gainers; Los Angeles Has the Rookie Draft Steal
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 22 Nov 2024