A lackluster performance yesterday cost Fil-Am boxer Brian Viloria the WBC junior flyweight title to Mexican Omar Ni?o Romero at the Orleans Hotels and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada yesterday.
After 12 rounds, ringside judges ruled unanimously in favor of the Mexican fighter who was unheralded before yesterday’s victory.
Against Romero, Viloria was a shadow of the boxer who fought and knocked out Eric Ortiz in September last year.
He was, match observers said, out boxed, outwitted and out hit by the 30-year-old boxer from Mexican city of Guadalajara.
Romero, who went to the ring with a 24-2-1, 10KO-record, simply threw more punches and connected better than the 25-year-old Viloria (19-1, 12 KOs).
In contrast, Filipino super flyweight Diosdado Gabi (27-3-1, 19 KOs) knocked out three-time world champion Mauricio Pastrana (32-7-2, 20 KOs), at the 1:36 of the first round.
The “Hawaiian Punch” displayed crisp moves in the first four rounds. He tagged Romero with picture-perfect hooks and straights but suddenly lost steam in the fifth round.
The Mexican fighter, on the other hand, started throwing in more combinations.
Judge Adalaide Byrd scored 118-110; Chuck Diampa 117-11 and Mark Green 117-112 all for Romero. According to CompuBox statistics, Romero threw 778 and landed 245 punches while Viloria hit only 113 out of 398 thrown.
Shocked
Viloria could not believe what happened in the ring.
“I’m in shock right now,” Viloria said during the post fight interview. “I don’t know what to do right now. It’s just a shock.”
It was his second title defense after winning the title from Mexican Ortiz. The first defense was a unanimous decision win over former WBC miniflyweight champion Jose Antonio Aguirre last February.
“I knew in the last couple of rounds I needed to knock him out,” Viloria said. “You just have bad nights. Tonight was mine. I don’t want to make any excuses. I’d like to see if I can get a rematch with him.”
