WBC LIGHT FLY TITLE CHANGES HANDS
Las Vegas, NV-It what was, to say the least, a stunner, Omar Romero, 108 lbs., Mexico, upset reining WBC light flyweight champion Brian Viloria, 108, Hawaii, over 12 rounds at the Orleans Hotel. This main event of a Top Rank card being shown on OLN (Outdoor Life Network), was supposed to be a “showcase” fight for Viloria, a 2000 Olympian. About the third round, you could see this wasn’t going Viloria’s way. And after 12 rounds, sans any knockdowns, or point deductions, Romero won with scores of 118-110, 117-112, & 117-111. Now 19-1 with 12 stops, Viloria must secure an immediate rematch, or move up to 112 lbs. and fight monsters the likes of Vic Darchinyan and Jorge Arce.
DON CHARGIN’S WORDS RING TRUER THAN EVER!
When I was trying to learn the game of boxing, from a business point of view, Don Chargin, a Hall of Fame inductee on both coasts, summed up the little guys like this. “For the most part there’s not a big difference in ability. So, on any given night, one flyweight that you wouldn’t think would have a chance, can actually lick your guy.”
ZERTUCHE ROMPS OVER BOJORQUEZ
In a junior middleweight scrap, Jose Luis Zertuche, Mexico, 155, stopped fellow countryman Carlos Bojorquez, 155, in the eighth round of a dime. A left hook to the body, well placed and potent, stopped the match at 1:25 of the round. Jose is 19-2-2, with 12 KOs, Carlos, 26-9-6 with 22 stops.
GABI DRILLS BIGGER FOE IN ONE!
Diosdado Gabi, 115, Philipines, KO 1 Mauracio Pastrana, 120, Miami, FL. Giving up five pounds at the weigh in upset trainer Freddie Roach, who realized come fight time the Colombian native would be around 130 lbs. Now 27-3-1, Gabi nabs KO #19. Pastrana, a former champ at light fly, declines to 32-7-2 with 20 stops!
55,000 JAPANESE FANS PROTEST WBC DECISION
Some were saying that if Viloria were to win that he would face WBA claimant, Koki Kameda. But Kameda, an budding Icon in Japanese sports, was unjustly given a split decision over Juan Landaeta August 2 in Yokohama. The public outcry, accompanied by 55,000 phone calls to the Japanese TV network, have Koki in a bad spot! Landaeta is now a hero, while Koki has been reduced to almost a heel! Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter says the fight was the fourth most watched program in Japan this year, and that a New Years Eve rematch is in the works!
