A TOAST TO THE HAWAIIAN PUNCH
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 20 Apr 2009
What?s a Hawaiian punch? 1/2 oz Vodka, 1/2 oz Amaretto, 1/2 oz Rum, 1/2 oz Creme de Bananes, 2 oz Orange Juice, 2 oz Pineapple Juice ,1 1/2 oz Grenadine plus 108 lbs. of raw courage.
Brian Viloria fought the fight of his life and won the IBF light flyweight championship from Ulises Solis of Mexico with a dramatic 11th round KO win at the historic Araneta Coliseum.
Viloria (25W-2L-0D, 15KO?s) got Solis? attention early in the fight with his powerful right straights. He mixed his attack with body shots in the second but Solis replied with beautiful one two combos. A point was deducted from Solis in the third for low blows. But his stinging jab and counters kept him in the fight.
In the fifth, Solis was bleeding from a cut in the right eyelid and Viloria attacked like a man possessed. Solis countered with another shot south of the border and again a point was deducted from the Mexican. Viloria started to slow down in the sixth and seventh while Solis got stronger and landed powerful combinations to the body and head of Viloria. The Hawaiian Pinoy countered with body shots in the eighth but almost went down at the end of the round.
With four rounds to go Viloria had to dig in deep. It is in fights like this that we can see what a boxer is truly made of. This is when they try to shut out the pain, ignore fatigue and tunnel vision themselves towards their goal.
Viloria rallied in the ninth but Solis reminded him who was champ in the tenth and dished out more punishment. In the eleventh, Viloria landed a straight right flush into Solis? jaw and the Mexican was unable to beat the count.
That punch had everything ? mechanics, leverage and unbridled fury.
Viloria is a champion once again. He also stopped Solis? streak against Pinoy boxers, having beat Rodel Mayol, Glen Donaire and Bert Batawang.
Viloria gave a performance worthy of the historic venue; a house built n the exploits of Flash Elorde. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier finished their rivalry here. The likes of Pedro Adigue, Rene Barrientos, the Penalosa brothers, Luisito Espinosa and Manny Pacquiao fought in this coliseum. Now, Brian Viloria became a part of Philippine boxing history.
Top photo: Brian Viloria, left, of the Philippines, runs to his corner after knocking down Ulises Solis of Mexico on the 11th round of their IBF light flyweight title bout in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines on Sunday April 19, 2009. Viloria won the crown after knocking down Solis on the 11th round. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
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