Strange as this may sound, Brian Viloria will enter the ring an underdog against Giovani Segura—even if the Filipino-American is the one who will be defending a title.
Viloria’s ability to go the long haul has always been questioned by his critics and he did not help his case any when he seemingly lost steam in his bout against Carlos Tamara. After the defeat, he was even rushed to the hospital and treated for exhaustion.
And even as he reeled in the challenger for a fight in front of a crowd that will be squarely behind him, it seems it is the Hawaiian Punch that is walking into the lion’s den.
Segura has a stellar record of 28 wins with 24 knockouts. There is no doubt that he is to date one of the strongest little men in boxing. His powerful destruction of Ivan Celderon earned him a spot—ninth—in the elite pound-for-pound rankings of Ring Magazine.
Viloria has some smashing victories of his own. In fact, his unanimous decision win against Julio Cesar Miranda gave him his current title. But the sins of the past are difficult to forget.
Usual self
Segura is expected to be his usual aggressive self on fight day, however several keys have to be present to ensure a win.
Segura has to throw high percentage shots. The Mexican has sometimes been described as reckless, relying too much on his power. He tends to throw punches even if he gets tagged by his opponent.
Segura should time his combinations well and not give Viloria opportunities to counter.
Segura’s fighting style is also predictable. He said that there is nothing else to change as he simply needs to do what he knows to do. He has a tendency to throw his power punches from the outside leaving the inside of his face and body open. Viloria is a good counter puncher so Segura must guard against combinations thrown down the middle.
Segura clearly has the skills. Many know the power that he brings but carelessness might be his downfall. He needs to settle down and just focus on the task at hand.
Viloria, meanwhile, is expected to step up in this fight. He has not in the recent past faced a boxer with this kind of power.
Initiate action
If Viloria wants to win this one, he has to start by being aggressive early and initiating the action. If Viloria allows Segura to dictate the tempo of the fight, he may lose rounds in the judges’ scorecards.
Viloria can surprise Segura by disrupting the Mexican’s tempo and throwing effective combinations.
Viloria understands there is a science to boxing and he has to utilize it effectively. He is aware he can’t get caught against the ropes and allow Segura to punish his body. He needs to move, stick and move again if he is to frustrate Segura.
Segura will try to dominate in the beginning of the fight. Viloria needs to settle down early and implement his fight plan so as to control the pace of the bout.
For Viloria to emerge victorious, he must have a wise game plan and execute it to the hilt.