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Brian must beware of easy target
By Recah Trinidad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:34:00 08/26/2009
JESUS IRIBE, who tries to wrest Brian Viloria’s IBF light flyweight crown on Sunday, has been described by scouts as a strong, engaging fighter who loves to charge and do battle inside.
That augurs well for Viloria, says one veteran broadcaster who flew to Honolulu yesterday to be at ringside when the Hawaiian Punch defends his International Boxing Federation 108-pound crown.
Brian, aiming to break Iribe with combinations, could find a generous target in his Mexican foe, who lost by unanimous decision to reigning WBC light fly titlist Edgar Sosa last year.
* * *
The fight is extra significant to Viloria, not only because it marks the first defense of the crown he took from Mexican Ulises Solis.
It should also help complete his comeback that was flagged off with that courageous KO conquest of Solis at the Araneta Coliseum last April.
Of course, there’s the danger of Viloria being uselessly lured into a wild slug-out.
Initial reports said Iribe, with a total of five losses, registered his 15 wins all by knockout, an awesome record.
International judge and boxing correspondent Salven Lagumbay, however, offered corrections and said it was only 9 KOs in 15 wins for Viloria’s foe.
* * *
Anyway, if Viloria—who proved the last time that he indeed has his heart in the right place—would be strong enough to weather Iribe’s grim assault, Brian could still score a win similar to what he achieved against Solis.
Viloria’s outing against Iribe is actually one of several big fights lined up for the rest of the year wherein a lot of Pinoy pride will be at stake.
The main undercard to the Viloria-Iribe mainer features the talented AJ Banal, who is seeking a significant win after that shattering KO loss to Panamanian Rafael Concepcion in Cebu last year.
After watching Concepcion put Nonito Donaire Jr. to a supreme test, critics started to say that AJ Banal was no fluke after all.
AJ was just too young and tender, they added, but should be able to prove his mettle in time.
* * *
After AJ, it will be the turn of Boom Boom Bautista, a protégé of esteemed Cebu sportsman Tony Aldeguer, to reappear and show fans he’s far from finished.
Bautista has been lined up for a big outing at the Cebu Waterfront Hotel in October, philboxing.com reported.
There were also talks of return matches for both Rodel Mayol and Bernabe Concepcion.
After October, it will, of course, be the fight everybody has been talking about.
Come Nov. 14, Manny Pacquiao goes for a record seventh world crown against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas.
Then, in December, expect Donaire to close out the busy Pinoy boxing calendar with a sensational fight, possibly against the flamboyant Jorge Arce, owner of the world super flyweight crown proper.
http://sports.inquirer.net/columns/c...of-easy-target
By Recah Trinidad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:34:00 08/26/2009
JESUS IRIBE, who tries to wrest Brian Viloria’s IBF light flyweight crown on Sunday, has been described by scouts as a strong, engaging fighter who loves to charge and do battle inside.
That augurs well for Viloria, says one veteran broadcaster who flew to Honolulu yesterday to be at ringside when the Hawaiian Punch defends his International Boxing Federation 108-pound crown.
Brian, aiming to break Iribe with combinations, could find a generous target in his Mexican foe, who lost by unanimous decision to reigning WBC light fly titlist Edgar Sosa last year.
* * *
The fight is extra significant to Viloria, not only because it marks the first defense of the crown he took from Mexican Ulises Solis.
It should also help complete his comeback that was flagged off with that courageous KO conquest of Solis at the Araneta Coliseum last April.
Of course, there’s the danger of Viloria being uselessly lured into a wild slug-out.
Initial reports said Iribe, with a total of five losses, registered his 15 wins all by knockout, an awesome record.
International judge and boxing correspondent Salven Lagumbay, however, offered corrections and said it was only 9 KOs in 15 wins for Viloria’s foe.
* * *
Anyway, if Viloria—who proved the last time that he indeed has his heart in the right place—would be strong enough to weather Iribe’s grim assault, Brian could still score a win similar to what he achieved against Solis.
Viloria’s outing against Iribe is actually one of several big fights lined up for the rest of the year wherein a lot of Pinoy pride will be at stake.
The main undercard to the Viloria-Iribe mainer features the talented AJ Banal, who is seeking a significant win after that shattering KO loss to Panamanian Rafael Concepcion in Cebu last year.
After watching Concepcion put Nonito Donaire Jr. to a supreme test, critics started to say that AJ Banal was no fluke after all.
AJ was just too young and tender, they added, but should be able to prove his mettle in time.
* * *
After AJ, it will be the turn of Boom Boom Bautista, a protégé of esteemed Cebu sportsman Tony Aldeguer, to reappear and show fans he’s far from finished.
Bautista has been lined up for a big outing at the Cebu Waterfront Hotel in October, philboxing.com reported.
There were also talks of return matches for both Rodel Mayol and Bernabe Concepcion.
After October, it will, of course, be the fight everybody has been talking about.
Come Nov. 14, Manny Pacquiao goes for a record seventh world crown against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas.
Then, in December, expect Donaire to close out the busy Pinoy boxing calendar with a sensational fight, possibly against the flamboyant Jorge Arce, owner of the world super flyweight crown proper.
http://sports.inquirer.net/columns/c...of-easy-target