MANILA, Philippines - WBO flyweight champion Brian (The Hawaiian Punch) Viloria said the other day he expects an all-out war when he battles WBA titlist Hernan (Tyson) Marquez of Mexico in a unification 12-round showdown at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles on Nov. 17 and vowed a win by knockout.
Now deep in training for what is also the third defense of his WBO crown, Viloria said he’s only a few pounds over the flyweight limit of 112 and on track to peak on fight night. Marquez is rumored to be experiencing difficulty making the weight, purportedly a reason why the bout has been reset twice from Sept. 29 to Nov. 10 and now to Nov. 17. Last March, Marquez tipped the scales two pounds over the limit in his first try at the weigh-in for a title defense against Rodel Mayol in Sonora but surprisingly, made it on the dot in his second try, prompting the Filipino challenger to cry foul and pull out.
Viloria, 31, is coming off five straight wins since losing the IBF lightflyweight crown to Colombia’s Carlos Tamara in a shock 12th round stoppage at the Cuneta Astrodome two years ago. His last two wins were knockouts over Mexican stars Omar Nino Romero and Giovani Segura, both former world titlists. Marquez, 24, has won his last seven outings and three of his previous four victims were Filipinos Fernando Lumacad, Richie Mepranum and Edrin Dapudong.
Viloria said he adjusted his training schedule when the delays were announced and should be in tip-top condition when he faces Marquez. “Nov. 17 is locked in,” said Viloria, confirming the much-awaited duel. “The fight will be an all-out war. No one is going to back down in this fight. It will end in me knocking Tyson out.”
Marquez, a southpaw, is no slouch and packs power in both fists. He has a 34-2 record, with 25 KOs. Of his abbreviated wins, 19 came within three rounds with eight in the first and seven in the second. Marquez turned pro in 2005. Ironically, his two defeats were dealt by Filipinos Nonito Donaire and Mepranum, back-to-back, in 2010. Since he lost to Donaire on an eighth round knockout, Marquez has recovered to string seven wins in a row.
“I’m just a few pounds over the weight limit,” said Viloria in a text from his Los Angeles home. “Tyson fights aggressively and likes to counter, kind of like a (Ulises) Solis.” Viloria referred to the former IBF lightflyweight champion whom he dethroned in dramatic fashion via an 11th round stoppage at the Araneta Coliseum in 2009. The difference is Marquez has a lot more pop in his punch than Solis.
For Viloria, it’s his first appearance in a mainland US ring since halting Benjamin Garcia in two in Los Angeles in 2008. His last eight fights were staged either in Honolulu or the Philippines. No doubt, Viloria will want to make a strong impression on the US audience which he thrilled with a one-round demolition of Eric Ortiz to capture the WBC lightflyweight diadem at the Staples Center in 2005. Viloria is determined to regain his prominence in the US market with a resounding victory over Marquez after a series of dominating performances in Manila.
In the undercard, former interim WBA superflyweight champion Drian Francisco will make his US debut against a still-to-be-determined opponent. It isn’t easy for Mexico’s Zanfer Promotions to confirm an opponent because of Francisco’s frightful reputation. Francisco, 29, is fresh from a one-round knockout over Jose Carlos Vargas in Sonora last Sept. 29. Vargas went down thrice in the brief contest.
Zanfer initially floated unbeaten Mexican contender Julio Ceja as Francisco’s opponent but another fighter may be tapped instead. Ceja has a 21-0 record, with 19 KOs, while Francisco’s slate is 23-1-1, with 18 KOs. Francisco’s only loss was a decision to Tepparith Kokietgym of Thailand in May last year. Tepparith decked Francisco once enroute to the win on points and wrested the interim WBA superflyweight crown. The Thai later won the WBA title and still reigns today. Francisco has bounced back to win three straight since the defeat.
Francisco left Manila a week before the Vargas fight and is now in Los Angeles training with former Australian heavyweight fighter Justin Fortune who used to be Freddie Roach’s conditioning assistant at the Wild Card Gym. Rod Nebiar and Boy Donaire were in Francisco’s corner for the Vargas bout but in the Viloria-Marquez undercard, his cornermen will be Fortune, Benny de la Pena and cutman Dr. Ed de la Vega.
Francisco’s manager Elmer Anuran, the first congressional nominee in the COMELEC-accredited Batangas party-list ALAEH (Association of Local Athletics, Entrepreneurs and Hobbyists), said there’s no turning back for his protégé. “This is make or break,” said Anuran. “I spoke with Drian three days ago and he’s in great shape. I was told he’s been mauling his sparring partners. An unbeaten Mexican featherweight didn’t last three rounds and another finished with a bloody nose. Drian will fight at 118 and he’s now 10 over but there won’t be a problem bringing down his weight.”