Will we see a fresher and tougher Viloria this Sunday?
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 10 Dec 2011
He may be the underdog but Filipino boxing fans will root for Brian ?The Hawaiian Punch? Viloria when he enters the ring against Giovani Segura on Sunday morning. His Ilocano roots ensure crowd support. But it doesn?t take away the stigma of fading in the endgame. Local boxing pundits still point to his loss against Carlos Tamara when asked for their assessment and worries about Viloria?s chances against the Aztec Warrior who is ranked number nine in Ring magazine?s pound-for-pound list.
Viloria was groomed for bigger things after a stellar amateur career. He was embraced by the mainstream Filipino media after his first round knockout of Eric Ortiz in 2005. But after his uninspired performances against Omar Nino Romero and Edgar Sosa, he seemed destined to join the list of boxing?s wasted talents.
His stunning victory against Ulises Solis at the Araneta Coliseum made him the toast of Philippine boxing once again. But that hair- raising moment when he was carried into an ambulance and hospitalized after losing to Tamara has been seared into our brains. It is a bit unfair, we remember his losses and not his wins.
He was a bit shaky in the championship rounds but still pulled through in winning a second division title against Julio Cesar Miranda in Hawaii. Against Segura, Viloria will have to be better.
Viloria has the better boxing skills but Segura has already shown what he can do with his relentless pressure fighting against the man regarded as the best pure boxer around, Ivan Calderon. And he knocked out Calderon twice. As the great Joe Louis would say, ?He can run, but he can?t hide.?
Segura has also stopped Filipino fighters Juanito Rubillar (TKO6) and Sonny Boy Jaro (KO1).
Viloria?s punching power is something Calderon does not have. He will have to crank it up a notch against Segura, who I expect will try to sap Viloria?s strength with brutal body punches. It will be ?once more unto the breach? moment for Viloria in latter rounds. Either way this fight goes, fans can expect another classic.
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