VILORIA DEFENDS TITLE VS OMAR NINO ROMERO ON APRIL 1 IN MANILA
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 21 Feb 2012
World Boxing Organization flyweight champion Brian Viloria defends his title against Mexico?s Omar Nino Romero in Manila on April 1 in a fight card presented by Solar Sports.
It will be the third meeting between Viloria and Omar Nino Romero with the first two fights ending in controversy.
In their first clash on August 10, 2006 Omar Nino Romero won a questionable lopsided twelve round decision at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in a WBC light flyweight title fight while in the rematch on November 18, 2006 Omar Nino Romero retained his title in a draw.
However, because the Mexican tested positive for a banned substance the fight was declared a no-contest.
Viloria faced Edgar Sosa for the vacant title and dropped another controversial majority decision on April 14, 2007 but came back with a string of five wins before taking on highly fancied Ulises Solis, another Mexican, for the IBF light flyweight title at the famed Araneta Coliseum on April 19, 2009.
Viloria scored a spectacular 11th round knockout and was once again embraced by Filipino fans who had been disappointed with his showing against Omar Nino Romero.
Viloria successfully defended his title against Jesus Iribe at the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu on August 29, 2009 but lost by a 12th round TKO to Panama?s Carlos Tamara on Jnauary 23, 2010 when he was overcome by fatigue with 75 seconds remaining in a fight where Viloria was well ahead on the scorecards of all three judges.
Realizing that his struggle to make the 108 pound limit was taking its toll, Viloria decided to move up to the flyweight limit and won the title with an impressive twelve round decision over Julio Cesar ?Pingo? Miranda on July 16, 2011 in Honolulu.
His first defense is regarded as Viloria?s finest ring performance. He battered and bewildered pound for pound No. 9 and heavily favored Mexican KO artist Giovanni Segura with a clinical but power-packed performance to score a sensational 8th round TKO at the Ynares Sports Center on December 11, 2011.
Viloria?s manager Gary Gittelsohn who has treated the fighter like a son told the Manila Standard that he was ?putting the finishing touches? to the title defense against Romero.
He said Viloria ?is very excited to return to Manila and we look forward to a great fight.?
Gittelsohn said that since winning his second world title and his third belt Viloria ?is finally the fighter we all knew he would become? adding that this year they are ?looking forward to the big match-ups ? Roman Gonzalez, Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez etc.?
The likeable manager stressed he would ?do everything possible to draw attention to these ?little giants?. The new programming teams at Showtime and HBO Sports are very savvy guys and I suspect they will open their airwaves to showcase them.?
Having fought Segura in a mandatory, Viloria chose Omar Nino Romero for a voluntary defense and possibly for a chance to settle the score with the Mexican once and for all.
The 31 year old Viloria has a record of 30-3 with 17 knockouts while Omar Nino Romero is 35 and has a record of 30-4-2 with 12 knockouts that includes a victory over former WBC world flyweight champion Rode Mayol on June 19, 2010. However, in his last fight for the WBC light flyweight title Romero lost by a twelve round majority decision to Gilbert Keb Baas on November 6, 2010.
Photo: Brian Viloria in action against Giovanni Segura last December in Pasig City.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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