Segura has style advantage over Viloria
WBO World Flyweight champ Brian Viloria (29 Wins (16 KO?s), 3 Losses, 2 No Contests) is set to defend his title against Mexican Giovani Segura (28 Wins (24 KO?s), 1 Losses, 1 Draw) at the Y?ares Sports Arena in the Philippines. Despite being the defending champ Viloria is listed as the underdog by odds makers and boxing experts. It doesn?t matter to Viloria though as he sees it as motivation rather than a disadvantage.
According to his camp, Viloria’s losses were caused by his lack of focus. He lost to Omar Ni?o Romero, Edgar Sosa and Carlos Tamara. His losses to Romero and Sosa killed potential super fights with then-flyweight Jorge Arce and Ivan Calderon and after his loss to Tamara in 2010 we all thought Viloria was finished. The Hawaiian Punch proved us wrong and rejuvenated his career by beating Julio Cesar Miranda in July to claim the WBO World Flyweight title.
Viloria’s sensational first round knockout of Eric Ortiz in 2005 that earned him the WBC World Light Flyweight title was arguably bad for his career. After that win, Viloria was unfairly expected to knockout every light flyweight. He was not a knockout artist to begin with because Viloria’s really a counter puncher by nature.
Segura opens up as the favorite against Viloria and it’s hard to argue why. The Mexican did what Viloria was supposed to do ? beat the slippery Calderon. El Guerrero Azteca didn’t only beat Calderon; he knocked the slick and technical boxer out twice. There’s no other boxer that can challenge him in the light flyweight division hence his move to flyweight.
These two fighters couldn’t be any more different.
Viloria was first thought of as a heavy handed boxer. It was an assessment that was unfair to him because he, judging from his fights, clearly doesn’t have one-punch knockout power in any of his hands. In his last ten wins, only four times did he win by knockout. On the other hand, Segura is a bona fide fighter with explosive fists. Segura?s punches are head-seeking missiles.
Calderon is one of the slickest boxers of his generation and even he wasn?t able to slip and dodge Segura?s bombs. Viloria needs to counter accurately to quell Segura?s charge and aggressiveness. If Viloria is going to win this fight, he?ll have to utilize better head movement and footwork than he?s shown in the past or else Segura will take his belt away.
Feel free to drop me a line at jeremiahiradyap[AT]gmail[DOT]com