Another toast to the Hawaiian Punch
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 17 Jul 2011
For twelve rounds, Brian Viloria and Julio Cesar Miranda were tested. The punches that landed were questions whose answers required resiliency and courage. Viloria immediately sent a message in the first round that he meant business by knocking down Miranda with a counter hook. Miranda fought back but Viloria used his lateral movement to avoid Miranda's power shots. Viloria took an early lead relying on his hand speed and punch accuracy.
But Miranda continued to pressure and landed hard punches to the body and head going into the middle rounds. Viloria and Miranda traded shot for shot until Miranda was ready for the taking in the seventh round.
But the Miranda recuperated and came back for more. Mexico has a fine tradition of producing great warriors and Miranda is no exception. There would be more similar rounds, one fighter got hurt and then fired back and vice versa.
It became a grinding and draining contest as the rounds progressed. Viloria moved less and chose to counter Miranda's shots while on a stationary posture. Miranda sensed he was falling behind and stepped up his body attack. Viloria was hanging by a thread in the 10th but regained the power in his legs and once again resorted to lateral movement in the 11th and 12th rounds.
There would be no repeat of the drama of the Ulises Solis fight; there would be no dramatic late knockout for Viloria but there would be no endgame collapse either. Surely, the Carlos Tamara fight at the Cuneta Astrodome entered his mind going into the last two rounds. But Viloria finished the fight on his feet as Miranda failed to land a big punch to turn the fight around. Viloria was announced the winner by unanimous decision. The announced scores of the three judges ? 98-91, 96-93 and 97-93- were a bit strange considering that this was a twelve rounder.
Our friends at boxrec posted the corrected scores - 117-110,114-113 and 115-113.
The 31 year old Miranda drops to 35W-6L-1D, 28 KO?s while Viloria improves to 28W-3L, 16 KO?s. The Hawaiian Punch found his redemption in front of his hometown fans at the Blaisdell Center.
The 30 year old Viloria, who traces his roots to the Ilocos Region, is now the sixth Filipino to win world titles in at least two different weight divisions after Dodie Boy Penalosa, Luisito Espinosa, Gerry Penalosa, Nonito Donaire and Manny Pacquiao.
Two Pinoys won in the undercards, Denver ?The Excitement? Cuello won by TKO in the second round over Omar Soto of Puerto Rico. Cuello scored several knockdowns in a one-sided contest. Michael Farenas was bloodied and struggled in a close fight but won a hard earned decision after eight rounds over Fernando Beltran of Mexico.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Pacquiao’s Legacy in Motion: PacMan contra El Azteca
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Thu, 17 Jul 2025Blu Girls Crush Singapore 13-0, Set Sights on China in Asia Cup Showdown
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 17 Jul 2025Laylo, Dableo to play in Baguio Open
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 17 Jul 2025Pacquiao Shines in Final Press Conference: Can The Pacman Defeat Father Time and Barrios? (Analysis & Prediction)
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 17 Jul 2025More lucrative fights await Manny Pacquiao
By Leo Reyes, Thu, 17 Jul 2025Rumors about Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 17 Jul 2025Tapales, Laurente to help Inoue against MJ
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 17 Jul 2025AL BERNSTEIN, CHRISTY MARTIN AND ERIC BOTTJER TO SERVE AS ALL-STAR COMMENTARY TEAM FOR THIS FRIDAY’S ‘LOPEZ VS. VARGAS’ EVENT
Thu, 17 Jul 2025SALITA PROMOTIONS CONGRATULATES SUBRIEL MATIAS ON BECOMING THE WBC SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION
Thu, 17 Jul 2025Gaisano Grand Cup Season 20 opens August 3
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 17 Jul 20253 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Shane Mosley Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
Thu, 17 Jul 2025HALL OF FAMER MANNY PACQUIAO SET TO CHASE HISTORY YET AGAIN THIS SATURDAY NIGHT IN WORLD TITLE FIGHT AGAINST MARIO BARRIOS
Wed, 16 Jul 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: New York, a Special Place for Boxing
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Wed, 16 Jul 2025Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua talking for a possible fight?
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 16 Jul 2025Philippines Rolls Past Pacific Oceania in Davis Cup Group IV Opener as Cebuana Lhuillier Ambassadors Set the Pace
Wed, 16 Jul 2025