Philippines, 24 Apr 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


BRIAN VILORIA UNIFIES WORLD FLYWEIGHT TITLE AFTER 47 YEARS


PhilBoxing.com




Brian Viloria unified the WBO and WBA flyweight titles by stopping Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez at the Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California. The last time the flyweight division has a unified champion was in April 1965 when WBC titlist Salvatore Burruni of Italy defeated WBA champion Pone Kingpetch of Thailand.

Nonito Donaire, Jr. held both IBF and IBO flyweight titles when he won over Vic Darchinyan in July 7, 2007, but the IBO belt was not considered a major title. This could fuel another debate on the already controversy-laden competition between the two Filipino-American world champions.

WBO champion Viloria improved his professional record to 32-3 with 19 KO wins. His KO rate is now 51.35% according to boxrec.com. Dethroned WBA champion Marquez who was floored in the first, fifth and tenth round dropped to 34-3 with 25 KO wins. His corner threw in the towel after the third knockdown.

Marquez is no Mike Tyson after all. But there were instances when he released a flurry of punches, especially in the fifth canto, when Viloria appeared to be groggy and was not able to retaliate. But the Hawaiian Punch, who was never been knocked down in his career, recovered and dropped the Mexican down on the very same round. The fifth round could be a candidate for ?Round of the Year.? Marquez bombarded Viloria with punches in the other rounds but only in short bursts as Viloria gamely defended and countered with a barrage of his own.

Rey Danseco of boxingscene.com said that Viloria declared that he is a 100% Filipino and his parents Ben and Rosemarie came from Narvacan, Ilocos Sur but migrated to Hawaii for a living. He became the 35th Filipino world champion when he won the WBC world light-flyweight title dethroning Eric Ortiz of Mexico by a remarkable first round knockout.

Viloria, who was born in Waipahu, Honolulu, Hawaii, said he would have competed for the Philippines in the 2000 Sydney Olympics had the invitation from the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) arrived earlier ahead of the US Olympic Trials where he defeated fellow Filipino-American Donaire in the quarterfinals.

Viloria won the light-flyweight gold medal in the 1999 World Amateur Championships in Houston, Texas. He also won the US championships and the national Golden Gloves championships on that same year.

The 5-foot-4 champion used the nickname ?Hawaiian Punch? from fellow Filipino-Hawaiian, the former WBA superbantamweight champion Jesus Salud, who was born to Filipino parents in Sinait, Ilocos Sur in 1963.

On April 29, 2009, he won the IBF junior flyweight title against Ulises Archi Solis at the Araneta Colisseum. He had a heart-breaking loss to Colombian Carlos Tamara on January 23, 2010 at the Cuneta Astrodome when Viloria ran out of gas in the 12th round prompting the referee Bruce McTavish to stop the fight with the champion leading in two judges? scorecards. Many thought Viloria?s career was over with that disheartening defeat.

But he was back on the top of the world when he won the WBO flyweight crown with a unanimous decision win over Julio Cesar Miranda of Mexico on July 16, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Verano, Cha, Oppas, Uduna, Traya, Mancito in Hot Action in Highland Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 23 Apr 2025
  • LA Wins to Level Series With Minnesota; OKC, Indiana in Commanding 2-0 Leads
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 23 Apr 2025
  • Disturbing, Eyebrow-Raising Happenings Involving Filipino Boxers
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 23 Apr 2025
  • HALL OF FAMER “THE COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER” CHRISTY MARTIN TO PARTICIPATE IN 2025 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND FESTIVITIES
    , Wed, 23 Apr 2025
  • EUBANK JR VS. BENN GRAND ARRIVALS QUOTES
    , Wed, 23 Apr 2025
  • Headlining again at home a dream come true for 16-0-1 junior middleweight Anthony Velasquez
    , Wed, 23 Apr 2025
  • Amateur Standout Stephanie Simon Signs with Split-T Boxing Management
    , Wed, 23 Apr 2025
  • The Past Week in Action 21 April 2025: Fundora KOs Badillo, Retains Undisputed Belts; Smith UD Germain; Kovalev Returns with a Win
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 22 Apr 2025
  • Bantamweight Anthony Garnica Scores TKO Against Aston Palicte to Remain Undefeated
    , Tue, 22 Apr 2025
  • Higher Seeds New York, Denver Fall in Playoffs Second Games to Detroit Pistons, LA Clippers
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 22 Apr 2025
  • Young Gildo: The Baguio Bearcat
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Tue, 22 Apr 2025
  • Filipino International Master Paulo Bersamina places solo runner-up in the 22nd Bangkok Chess Club Open in Thailand
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 22 Apr 2025
  • Female Amateur Boxing Star Sar’ai Brown-El Signs with Split-T Management
    , Tue, 22 Apr 2025
  • Apolinario to fight Hu in Japan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 21 Apr 2025
  • Warriors Shoot Down Rockets, 95-85 as Celtics, Cavaliers, Thunder Take Care of Business
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 21 Apr 2025
  • 2025 USA Boxing International Open Finalized on Saturday
    , Mon, 21 Apr 2025
  • Verano to face Thai in Clash of Nations on April 24
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 21 Apr 2025
  • Masangkay to fight Ocampo in JAS on April 23
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Denver Holds Off LA Clippers in OT, 112-110
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Arca clinches 3rd and final IM norm; Guns for GM norm in last round
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • IN HER GOLDEN GIRL ERA: GABRIELA “SWEET POISON” FUNDORA SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS UNDISPUTED TITLE AGAINST MARILYN BADILLO
    , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Fundora Retains Undisputed Flyweight Titles; Perez Shocks Conwell in Oceanside
    , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Dalton Smith Drops Mathieu German Three Times, Retains WBC Silver Title
    , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Filipino GM Antonio beats Serbia's IM for share of lead in Caberra Chess Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Villanueva to fight Antaran on April 27 in Gensan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.