Former WBC and IBF lightflyweight champion Brian Viloria is now ranked No. 1 by the WBO in the flyweight division, meaning he’ll eventually be in line for a mandatory crack at the title held by Mexico’s Julio Cesar Miranda.
No wonder Viloria, 29, is preparing furiously for his fight against Thailand’s Liempetch Sor Veerapol at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Nov. 5. It’s a can’t-lose proposition for the Hawaiian Punch who’s hoping for a shot at the crown early next year. Besides, Viloria is getting married to long-time girlfriend Erica Navarro in Hawaii on Dec. 3 and certainly won’t be in a celebrating mood if he loses to Liempetch.
The bottom line is losing isn’t an option for Viloria who has won eight of his last nine outings, the only defeat a 12th round stoppage to Carlos Tamara in an IBF championship defense at the Cuneta Astrodome last January.
Aside from his No. 1 ranking by the WBO, Viloria is rated No. 11 by the IBF and No. 18 by the WBC. His elevation to the flyweight division will mean leaving behind the torturous days of cutting down weight to make the 108-pound limit. It’s no secret that Viloria had difficulty making the lightflyweight limit for the Tamara fight and the dehydration was evident when he lost steam down the stretch. Now, Viloria is up to 112 and it’s sure to make a difference.
Viloria’s record is 27-3, with 15 KOs. His losses were inflicted by world champions Tamara, Edgar Sosa (majority decision) and Omar Nino Romero (unanimous decision). Liempetch will be in elite company if he manages to beat Viloria.
While Viloria isn’t looking beyond Liempetch, Miranda seems to be a natural target. The 30-year-old Mexican claimed the vacant WBO flyweight crown at a Filipino’s expense last June. Richie Mepranum was knocked out by Miranda in the fifth round and since the win, the Mexican has repulsed two challengers Ronald Ramos and Michael Arango, both by knockout. Miranda, a busy warrior, has now fought four bouts this year and his record is 34-5-1, with 27 KOs.
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Liempetch, 22, is known as a dervish in the ring. Either you knock him out or he knocks you out. He has scored 12 stoppages in 19 wins, losing seven – six outside of Thailand – and drawing once. Two of his victims were Filipinos Michael Rodriguez and Kid Payes. It won’t be Liempetch’s first assignment in the country. He was here previously to take on Marvin Sonsona and Johnriel Casimero, both of whom he lost to by knockout.
In the undercard, former WBC lightflyweight champion Rodel Mayol makes a comeback after losing his crown to Romero on points last June. Mayol, 29, is itching to get back on the throne. It was a hard climb for Mayol who finally struck paydirt in his fifth attempt at a world title, halting Sosa in the second round to wrest the WBC diadem last November. He was frustrated by Eagle Kyowa, Ulises Solis and Ivan Calderon twice in world title bouts.
Mayol is a crowd-pleaser who never takes a step back in the ring. His record of 26-5-2, with 20 KOs, speaks for itself. On Nov. 5, he’ll face Thailand’s Pompetch Twins Gym who has a slate of 14-2 with four KOs. Pompetch is fresh from a six-round loss on points to countryman Thepnimit Sor Chitpattana but before the loss, had won seven in a row. Mayol will use Pompetch as a stepping stone to get back on track in his quest for a second world title.
Mayol began his pro career with Tony Aldeguer’s ALA stable and now is managed by Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz with Buboy Fernandez as his chief trainer. He is ranked No. 4 by the WBA and WBC in the lightflyweight class.
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Also appearing in the undercard is WBC International minimumweight titlist Denver Cuello whom manager Aljoe Jaro said is a win away from a crack at the WBA 105-pound championship, reportedly to be vacated by Nicaragua’s Roman Gonzalez. Cuello, 23, is set to take on Thailand’s Kongkrai Kiatpracha who is returning to the ring after a two-year layoff. Cuello’s record is 24-4-6, with 14 KOs, compared to Kongkrai’s 17-11, with 11 KOs. Kongkrai’s biggest win was a first round knockout over Japanese contender Tatsuma Ohora in Osaka in 2005.
Cuello is rated No. 3 by the WBC and No. 10 by the IBF.
In another appetizer, Elmer Anuran’s hard-hitting lightweight Al Sabaupan stakes his unbeaten record of 13-0-1, with 10 KOs, against Arnel Dunal. Sabaupan is the reigning IBF Pan Pacific lightweight champion and has won his last four fights by knockout, averaging only 1.7 rounds.
Any way you look at it, the Nov. 5 card being staged by Solar Sports is bound to be explosive.