Hernan Marquez: record, next fight and profile →
By Francisco Salazar - 19-year old Andy Ruiz moved to 4-0 (2KO) with a four-round points win over stubborn journeyman Rufino Flores. Scores were 40-36 and 39-37 (twice) in an entertaining bout.
Luis Sandoval catches up with former champion Tyson Marquez to discuss his TKO loss to Brian Viloria in their flyweight unification.
How ironic that a unification bout in one of the least lucrative divisions in the sports winds up headlining a card on Wealth TV? Still, this mouthwatering flyweight matchup is rich in so many other ways, as Brian Viloria takes on Hernan ‘Tyson’ Marquez tonight at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles. The winner becomes the first unified flyweight titlist in more than 40 years, though most fans are eying the Fight of the Year potential that the fight carries. Both fighters are coming off of career best years. Viloria (31-3-1, 18KO) has led an up-and-down career, but has been on a steady ride as of late. Wins over Julio Cesar Miranda, Giovani Segura and Omar Nino Romero – the latter feat avenging a previous loss and draw – has resurrected his career more than a decade after a run with the 2000 U.S. Olympic boxing squad.
Among the many rivalries between boxing nations, few if any compare to the growing intensity between fans from Mexico and the Philippines. The biggest factor in the rivalry is pound-for-pound superstar Manny Pacquiao, who has made a living out of scoring high profile wins over the best Mexican fighters in the prime and twilight of his career. The wildly popular Filipino is deep in training for his fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, one of four major matchups in the span of four weeks to pit the Philippines against Mexico.
In a battle of champions WBO flyweight king Brian Viloria faces Mexico’s WBA flyweight champion Hernan “Tyson” Marquez with Viloria eager to cement his legacy as one of the great fighters in the lower weight divisions which, despite the action-packed classics, have failed to get the attention of the big networks such as HBO and Showtime. The Viloria-Marquez showdown at the Los Angeles Sports Arena which will be telecast in the Philippines by GMA 7 with “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao as one of the members of the TV panel has added interest for Filipinos as world rated Drian Franciso is also featured on the card against Mexico’s squat Javier Gallo adding spice to the storied Philippine-Mexican ring rivalry.
by Cliff Rold - For the first time since the LBJ administration, barring a draw, someone is going to leave a boxing ring with two major titles at Flyweight. For the first time in his career, one of the most prominent hopefuls for boxing’s tomorrow is stepping in the ring with someone who stands out as near the top of a division. The former will come live on Wealth TV. For those who don’t have the channel, and few do, their website offers an affordable subscription. The latter will come on HBO, and those who have it already know what their subscription fees are. One need not choose necessarily. If Wealth is viewed online, HBO can be on at the same time. It’s like picture-in-picture with a better small box. The point: there are two fights worth watching on Saturday night.
The weights are in for the big doubleheader at the LA Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. The card will be televised by WealthTV and streamed on wealthtv.com. In the main event, a flyweight unification between champions Hernán “Tyson” Márquez and Brian “Hawaian Punch” Viloria. Márquez (33-2-0, 25 KO’s) and Viloria (31-3-0, 18 KO’s) will stake their WBO/WBA titles. In the co-feature, Román “Chocolatito” González (33-0-0, 28 KO’s) will defend his WBA junior flyweight title against Juan Francisco “Gallo” Estrada (21-1-0, 18 KO’s).
By Jake Donovan - The officials have been announced for Saturday's flyweight alphabet unification bout between Brian Viloria and Hernan 'Tyson' Marquez at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles. Referee David Mendoza of California has been tabbed as third man for the 12-round title tilt, which airs live on Wealth TV. The three ringside judges will be Levi Martinez, Jonathan Davis and David Denkin, all from the United States.
The final press conference took place for the flyweight unification between Hernan “Tyson” Márquez (34-2-0, 25 KO’s) and Brian “Hawaian Punch” Viloria (31-3-0, 18 KO’s), who collide on Saturday for the WBO/WBA titles at the LA Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. In the co-feature, WBA flyweight champion Román “Chocolatito” González (33-0-0, 28 KO’s) will defend his title against tough Francisco “Gallo” Estrada (22-1-0, 18 KO’s). The event will be carried by WealthTV and wealthtv.com.
by Cliff Rold - First and foremost, it looks like one hell of a fight. 2000 U.S. Olympian Brian Viloria (31-3, 18 KO), resurgent as a titlist in his second weight class after title reigns at 108 lbs., versus Hernan “Tyson” Marquez (34-2, 25 KO), victorious against Luis Concepcion in one of 2011’s most savage bouts, has all the makings. Both men can box. Both men can punch. They’ve both shown vulnerability. If anything left on the 2012 boxing docket is going to steal likely Fight of the Year honors from Brandon Rios-Mike Alvarado, this is the best bet. Beyond the fight in the ring, an element of history will be at hand. Viloria, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) titlist at Flyweight, and Marquez, the World Boxing Association (WBA) titlist at Flyweight, will both have their titles on the line. It has become a little bit of mythology to say boxing’s titles were once always unified, that champions once came only one to a class. The history of the sport is full of instances where championship claims met counter claims and unification was deemed necessary (and, more importantly, promotable). The Middleweight title was split for a big chunk of the 1930s. Various U.S. state commissions, most notably the New York State Athletic Commission, or Ring Magazine, or the British Boxing Board of Control, or all of the above, were occasionally at odds with the National Boxing Association (now the WBA).