Viloria, Marquez gunning for KOs
GIVEN the chance, Fil-Am Brian Viloria and Mexican Hernan “Tyson” Marquez will try to knock each other out in their unification showdown for the world boxing flyweight crown Saturday (today in Manila) at Los Angeles Sports Arena.
Longing for recognition, Viloria, the WBO 112-pound titlist, wants to use the 12-round bout as a springboard to enter the elite level of fighters that include compatriots Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire Jr.
Turning 32 next week, Viloria (31-3 with 18 knockouts) said his fight against the WBA champ Marquez (34-2, 25 KOs) will define his legacy in boxing, and as he’ll pour in everything to put up an impressive performance.
The 24-year-old Marquez, on the other hand, wants to avenge the 17 Mexicans, including the touted Giovanni Segura and Julio Cesar Miranda, who have fallen prey to Viloria’s slick moves and accurate punches.
Both boxers easily made the weight limit, with Viloria coming in at 111.8 lb and Marquez checking in at 110.8, attesting to the hard work they’ve put in for the fight card to be aired by GMA 7 this afternoon.
Pacquiao will take a break from his training at Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, where Viloria also trained under the supervision of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, to do the commentary at ringside.
The eight-division world champion, who’ll tangle with Juan Manuel Marquez for the fourth time on Dec. 8 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, will also provide round-by-round analysis of the main undercard pitting Filipino prospect Drian Francisco (23-1-1, 18 KOs) against Mexican Javier Gallo (18-5-1, 10 KOs) set for eight rounds at 122 lb.
Though Marquez is perceived to be the bigger puncher, Viloria also boasts a mean counter left hook and a slick right that can stop the Mexican on his tracks like what he did to former tormentor Omar Niño in his last bout.
Believing that a victory over Marquez will finally attract the attention of either HBO or Showtime for his next fight, Viloria told the online edition of Ring magazine that he needs to pull all the stops right as he’s fighting another high-caliber fighter who’s willing to engage.
“He has good power in his punches. He likes to bang, he doesn’t shy away from any exchange and I’m the same way, too,” Viloria told Ringtv.com. “We both like to come forward and we both like to push our opponents back. When you have two guys like that, the only thing that will come out of that is a great fight.”
According to Viloria, who enjoys a two-inch height and a one-inch reach advantage, he has the blueprint to beat Marquez, especially if the Sinaloan native attacks him the way Segura did last December, when the Hawaiian Punch won by eighth round stoppage at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig. Roy Luarca
