Who’s truly ready: Viloria or Donaire?
It has nothing to do with President Aquino and his doubtful overall performance, but it should be worth checking on who’s truly ready for a crack at a world boxing crown between Nonito Donaire Jr. and Brian Viloria.
Viloria, 34, stopped Omar Soto by dropping his old Mexican rival three times in the first round in Hollywood, California, on Sunday (Manila time).
Donaire, 33, knocked out Frenchman Anthony Settoul with a single shot to the head in the second round in Macau two Saturdays ago.
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Even before he could be officially declared winner, Donaire stood tall to cry out he wanted a crack at a world crown, fast.
For his part, Viloria said he wanted Roman Gonzalez, the unbeaten Nicaraguan world flyweight champion fondly nicknamed Chocolatito, as his next foe.
Viloria claimed Gonzalez has been dodging him.
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Unlike Donaire’s tasteless win, Viloria’s roaring first-round KO was never seen by home fans who stayed up past lunchtime, hoping for a satellite replay.
After his absence, television producers may have thought that Viloria had gotten tired of boxing?
On the other hand, Donaire’s second trouble-free comeback fight—since being stopped by Jamaican axeman Nicolas Walters last year—got replayed the noontime after on television.
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For the record, both were former world champions—Viloria twice; Donaire, 2012 Boxer of the Year, four times.
Five years ago, Viloria scored a tough split decision over Soto in a nontitle bout at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
It took Viloria less time to score his second conquest of Soto, but it goes without saying Viloria also got tested in his latest fight.
Soto rose and fought back after suffering two knockdowns, and the fight had to he halted by the referee following his third successive fall.
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There were random claims Viloria may also be considered a late-maturing artist.
In Donaire’s case, there was no apt way of gauging his actual condition because the French champion he was supposed to face was a no-show.
As noted here previously, Settoul appeared more like a sleepless French chef wrestling with jet lag when he materialized at mid-ring in Macau.
In fact, seasoned boxing spectators hereabouts refused to call the Donaire win the result of a mismatch.
There were cries the eyesore should have been disallowed in the first place.
