Viloria Decisions Iribe in Honolulu

Returning local hero Brian Viloria successfully defended his IBF Light Flyweight title on Saturday night at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii with a largely one-sided twelve-round decision win over IBF #15 ranked contender Jesus Iribe. Viloria’s title defense was the first world championship fight to take place in the state since 1976 and could elevate him into a much talked about unification bout against WBO Light Flyweight titleholder Ivan Calderon later this year.

Viloria (26-2, 15 KOs) of Waipahu, Hawaii boxed patiently for the first few rounds before turning up his aggression level in round five. Iribe (15-6-5, 9 KOs) of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico could rarely land more than one at a time and did not have an answer for Viloria’s speed. Iribe would later explain his performance was greatly affected by an injured and potentially broken hand he suffered in the second round.

Viloria, 107 ½, controlled much of the fight with his quick combinations and slick footwork. Iribe, 108, briefly sprung to life in round seven and caught Viloria with one head-snapping blow, but returned to his defensive style in the eighth. Most of the bout’s two-way action occurred in the twelfth and final round. Both fighters came out offensive minded and threw caution to wind in heated exchanges. Iribe forced Viloria into a corner early in the round and got in some solid work before the local star turned the tables and landed some clean combinations of his own. Both fighters left everything in the ring, letting loose until the final bell.

All three judges scored the bout for Viloria by a wide margin with scores of 118-110, 117-112 and 117-111. Soon after his victory was officially announced, Viloria grabbed the house microphone and addressed the local fight crowd. “I know [championship] boxing hasn’t been here in 30 years,” said Viloria. “I hope tonight we gave you a little nostalgia feeling. We both fought our hearts out tonight, hope you enjoyed it.”

Much of the local media coverage made mention of the importance Viloria and his success could have on the future of boxing in the state of Hawaii. Decades ago the state was a boxing hotspot and producer of world champions, but mixed martial arts has since surpassed the sport in popularity. His role in bringing back world class boxing to the state is something Viloria seemed to value. “I just hope that we re-awoke the boxing spirit here in Hawaii,” said Viloria. “I think we showed the fans why boxing was really popular. In that last round, it showed the fans why.”

All signs point to a unification match with Calderon, should he successfully defend his strap against Rodel Mayol next month. “That is the fight people are asking for, so that is the fight we will give them,” explained Viloria’s trainer Robert Garcia, who has a much larger vision for his charge. “I have told him where I want to see him is to win titles in two or three different weight divisions,” said Garcia. “I want to see him on the top pound-for-pound list. I know he has the skills to do it. He has the power to be champion at 112 or 115.”

In the co-feature, IBF #5/WBA #6 ranked bantamweight A.J. Banal (20-1-1, 16 KOs) of Ermita, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines took a ten-round decision going away over the game, but overmatched Jose Angel Beranza (32-16-2, 25 KOs) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. Banal, 118 ¾, was simply too fast and too clever for the determined Mexican journeyman Beranza, 118 ¼. Banal gave Bernal fits with his southpaw style, as he boxed and moved all night. Banal looked like a matador as Beranza played the role of the bull. Beranza could never find Banal with anything meaningful and eventually resorted to chasing the Filipino around the ring. The only break in Banal’s momentum was when he was deducted a point in the ninth for a low blow. The scores were academic, as Banal took all three judges’ scorecards, 98-91, 98-92 and 99-92.

Former title challenger Alfonso Gomez (20-4-2, 10 KOs) of Whittier, California failed to break a sweat en route to a first-round stoppage of normally durable journeyman Raul Munoz (20-13-1, 15 KOs) of Topeka, Kansas. Gomez, 154.2, quickly stunned Munoz, 156.3, with a right hook and scored his first knockdown with a right uppercut. Munoz rose to his feet, but dropped to a knee from another Gomez right hand. Referee Jack Reiss reached the count of five before deciding Munoz would not be able to continue. Time of the stoppage was 2:01 of the first.

Munoz had in the past gone rounds with several well regarded fighters, but failed to make it out of the first with Gomez. “I knew he fought [Yory Boy] Campas and Julio Cesar Chavez before, so I was hoping to get a few more rounds since I have a big fight coming up in November,” said Gomez. “But I prepared well for this fight and was prepared to go the ten rounds if necessary, but fortunately it ended in one with no cuts or anything, so I am ready for what is next.”

What is next for Gomez is an important meeting against IBF #6 ranked welterweight Jesus Soto-Karass on the November 14th pay-per-view undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao fight which takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. “He is fighting today, just like I did, so hopefully he got his victory, so that way we can square off November 14th on the undercard of Cotto-Pacquiao,” said Gomez shortly after his bout. “I sparred with Soto-Karass before and I know him very well. He is a very strong fighter, very experienced and not for anything he is a ranked fighter. So I will be prepared for this fight like I have never prepared before.”

Dennis Laurente (32-3-5, 16 KOs) of Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines nearly scored a complete shutout against former title challenger Zaid Zavaleta (18-6-2, 11 KOs) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. The southpaw Laurente, 142, could not miss Zavaleta, 141, with the straight left hand and hurt him with that punch several times throughout the bout. It seemed as though whenever Zavaleta scored a clean blow, it only awoke Laurente to throw a rapid combination in return. Both fighters closed out the fight with a spirited tenth round. In the end, two judges scored the bout a shutout, 100-90, with one score of 99-91 for the rising Filipino contender.

Crowd favorite Isaac Arasato (5-0, 4 KOs) of Honolulu scored a first-round stoppage over Donald Gonzalez Jr. (0-2) of Hilo, Hawaii. Arasato, 131 ½, scored a knockdown early in the first with a right hand. Arasato was later awarded the bout when Gonzalez, 149 ½, kneeled down in pain complaining of a right elbow injury. Official time of the stoppage was 2:15 of the first round.

Kuulei Kupihea (4-1, 1 KO) of Mililani, Hawaii scored a fourth-round stoppage over debuting Shalae Padilla of Kona, Hawaii. Padilla, 147, boxed well for much of the fight, but was clearly at a disadvantage in the power department. Kupihea, 148 ½, landed a straight left that rocked Padilla in the fourth and quickly followed up her attack. Referee Jack Reiss leaped in to stop the fight at the 1:24 mark of the round, despite a moderate protest from Padilla.

Those who stuck around for the first of two walkout bouts witnessed an exciting three rounds as Michael Balasi (8-1, 6 KOs) of Honolulu scored a third-round knockout Toby Misech (1-1) of Hilo. After a back-and-forth three rounds, Balasi, 149 ¼, put Misech, 149 ½, through the ropes and onto the apron to score the knockout. When Misech could not get himself onto his feet on his own, the referee waved off the fight at 1:30 of the third.

In the final bout of the evening, Justin Mercado (1-0-1) of Honolulu and Richard Barnard (1-1-1) of Makakilo City, Hawaii fought to a four-round split-decision draw. Mercado, 144 ½, and Barnard, 141 ½, both had their moments in a bout between two free swingers. One judge scored the bout 40-36 for Barnard, with another scoring the bout 39-38 for Mercado. The third judge scored the bout even, 38-38.

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.