By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Two promising young fighters from Mindanao see action in an excellent fight card of Top Rank Promoter Bob Arum which will be headlined by former world light flyweight champion Brian Viloria as he continues his comeback for another world title shot.

The Mindanao fighters who belong to the growing stable of Vice Governor Manny Pinol are undefeated junior lightweight Glenn “Rapid Fire” Gonzales and bantamweight Jundy “Pretty Boy” Maraon.

In an overseas telephone conversation with insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports, Pinol said his 23 year old boxers were “doing fine and have long prepared for fights like this.” Pinol said they are both “good boys” but stressed that he was not trying to “promote or overstate their talent and want them to prove themselves in the ring in the future.”

The undefeated Gonzales is a 5’7” southpaw with a record of 7-0-1 with 4 knockouts while the 5’6” Maraon is also undefeated with a record of 10-0-1 with 8 knockouts.

Pinol said he would know who their opponents are only tomorrow.

It will be Gonzales’ second appearance in the US having scored an impressive six round unanimous decision over Robert DaLuz last July 5 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas in a fight refereed by Kenny Bayless. All three judges had Gonzales a handy winner. Richard Ocasio scored a 60-54 shutout for the Filipino while judges CJ Roth and Paul Smith both had Gonzales the winner 59-55.

Viloria, the 28 year old former world champion who lost to Edgar Sosa by majority decision in his attempt to regain the WBC title on April 14, 2007 has racked up four solid wins since then and has a record of 23-2 with 13 knockouts.

Viloria’s opponent is Mexican-born Benjamin Garcia who fights out of San Diego , California and has a record of 13-10-3 with only one knockout is coming off a ten round unanimous decision win over a worthy opponent in Roberto Carlos Leyva.

Also on the same card hard-hitting, undefeated super featherweight Urbano Antillon (24-0, 17 KO’s) who scored a crushing first round KO victory over Bobby Pacquiao, battles Juan Ramon Cruz (15-5-1, 11 KO’s) in the fight card to be held at Alameda Swap Meet in Los Angeles on Saturday, Manila Time.

Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin “Jeng” Gacal said he was still in Los Angeles making sure that everything was alright as far as Pinol’s boxers were concerned since it was Pacquiao who had helped arrange their fights with promoter Arum.

Gacal also informed us that Arum would arrive in time for Pacquiao’s 30th birthday celebration in his hometown of General Santos City on December 17 and would most likely be accompanied by trainer Freddie Roach.