Brian Viloria – The Hawaiian Punch Finally Realizes Potential

After toiling for over four years as a professional, Brian Viloria finally got a world title opportunity and the “Hawaiian Punch” didn’t let the moment go to waste. The 2000 US Olympian was in with the much more experienced WBC Super Flyweight Champion Eric Ortiz but Viloria never let the Mexican out of the first round. The two tangled at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on the undercard of the dual Morales -Pacquiao headliner and Viloria provided the most explosive moment of the entire action packed card when he leveled Ortiz with a single right hand that the champion simply could not recover from. With the victory, the pint sized body puncher just may have set himself up for a host of compelling matchups.

Viloria moves to 18-0 (12) and into a much higher profile. The 24 year old from Waipahu, Hawaii had previously held the NABF/WBC Youth titles at flyweight and had proven his meddle by getting past solid, if unspectacular, competition as the Keb Bass brothers and Luis Doria. But it wasn’t until Viloria was put in with the lanky Colombian puncher Angel Priolo in December of last year that the former Olympian began to show his true potential.

Viloria came into the contest on just three days notice, replacing flu stricken Fernando Montiel, to face an opponent who hadn’t lost an argument in over six years. Priolo was 31-1 going into the bout, having only lost to future world titlist Irene Pacheco, and at 5 foot 8, would hold a full four inch height advantage. Despite the list of disadvantages, Viloria went to work on the long, long body of Priolo and brought the Colombian’s guard down enough to slam home a right to the head that dropped Priolo hard in the third round.

Undaunted, the long armed veteran went to work and caught Viloria with a number of slashing combinations and bracing rights. Walking through the hailstorm of blows, Viloria continued his body assault and the two were locked in a brutal bartering of leather. The sturdy youngster from Hawaii finally broke the deadlock in the seventh with a sickening salvo to the midsection that had Priolo on the canvas for good. Viloria won his next outing, a tune up bout against Rueben Contreras, before dropping four pounds (something of an accomplishment if you only weigh 111lbs to begin with) to take on Ortiz last night in Los Angeles.

The new WBC Champion will likely have his pick of the litter at light flyweight with fellow world champions Roberto Vasquez (WBA), Hugo Cazares (WBO) and Will Grigsby (IBF) possibly seeking unification bouts. Viloria’s ability to campaign at flyweight may have its benefits and the top choices in that division include Lorenzo Parra, Vic Darchinyan, Jorge Arce and Pongsaklek Wonjongkam.