No Freddie, no problem

Freddie Roach won’t be in Brian Viloria’s corner when the Hawaiian Punch battles unbeaten WBC flyweight champion Roman (Chocolatito) Gonzalez of Nicaragua in a scheduled 12-round title fight at the Madison Square Garden in New York City tomorrow night (Sunday morning, Manila) but his absence isn’t an issue.

Viloria’s manager Gary Gittelsohn told The Star yesterday the strategy is laid out and Roach’s chief assistant Marvin Somodio will work the corner with long-time cutman Ruben Gomez.

“Freddie has been very helpful in getting Brian ready for this fight,” said Gittelsohn in a text message. “He was with Brian throughout his camp. The strategy is in place and Brian is prepared to execute it. Freddie’s right hand man Marvin is a marvellous trainer who works brilliantly with Brian – they’re fully on the same wavelength. I feel terrific about their connection and the makeup of the corner with Ruben. If I’ve learned anything over our years together, it’s that no one responds to great challenges better than Brian.”

Roach decided yesterday to stay in Los Angeles and forego the trip to New York. He’s busy working with WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto and WBA cruiserweight titlist Denis Lebedev at the Wild Card Gym. Cotto is slated to face Saul Alvarez in Las Vegas on Nov. 21 while Lebedev will stake his crown against Lateef Kayode in Kazan, Russia, on Nov. 4.

“One of us has to stay behind to take care of Cotto and Lebedev,” said Somodio. “Brian is confident. He has power with both hands. How the fight will end could depend on which fighter is able to land the cleaner shots. Brian can win this. His training was excellent. I don’t think there’s reason to worry. Brian is prepared and knows what he has to do to win.”

Gittelsohn said Viloria is ready for the biggest fight of his career. “I’m excited and so is Brian,” he said. “He’s ripped and in the best shape of his life, already on weight and ready to step on the scale. Gonzalez has never faced a fighter like Brian and I’m confident Brian’s superior speed and power will rule the day. The fight has the makings of ‘greatness’ all over it.”

If Viloria dethrones Gonzalez, he will duplicate what another Filipino did to another Gonzalez in Los Angeles in 1990. Rolando Pascua halted Mexico’s Humberto (Chiquita) Gonzalez in the sixth round to wrest the WBC flyweight crown, dealing the loser his first defeat ever as an amateur or pro. Roman Gonzalez has never been beaten as an amateur or pro so Viloria could be the spoiler that Pascua was to Chiquita.

There were several other Filipinos who won the world flyweight title in dramatic fashion. Pancho Villa disposed of British legend Jimmy Wilde in seven rounds to claim the world flyweight crown before over 40,000 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York in 1923. Bernabe Villacampo outpointed Japanese hero Hiroyuki Ebihara to take the WBA flyweight diadem in Osaka in 1969. Erbito Salvarria knocked out Thai legend Chartchai Chionoi to snatch the WBC flyweight diadem in Bangkok in 1970.

Frank Cedeno took a trip to London to halt Charlie Magri in six for the WBC flyweight plum in 1983. Dodie Boy Peñalosa went to Incheon to stop Korean Hi Sup Shin in the fifth round for the IBF flyweight belt in 1987. Rolando Bohol decisioned Korean Chang Ho Choi to capture the IBF flyweight title at the Rizal Memorial baseball stadium in 1988.

Manny Pacquiao put Thai favorite Chatchai Sasakul down for the count in the eighth for the WBC flyweight title in Phuttamonthon in 1998. Malcolm Tuñacao knocked out Medgeon 3-K Battery in seven for the WBC flyweight crown in Udon Thani in 2000. Sonny Boy Jaro stopped Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in six to take the WBC flyweight belt in Chonburi in 2012.

Viloria himself has carved a place in Philippine flyweight boxing history by capturing the WBO version at Julio Cesar Miranda’s expense in 2011 and adding the WBA belt at Hernan Marquez’ expense a year later.

Viloria, 34, has held the WBC/IBF lightflyweight and WBA/WBO flyweight titles but is now without a throne. Gonzalez, 28, has won world championships as a minimumweight, lightflyweight and flyweight and is currently The Ring Magazine’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. The Nicaraguan has won his last nine outings by knockout and his record is a frightening 43-0, including 37 KOs. Viloria has won 10 of his last 11 bouts to raise his record to 36-4, including 22 KOs.

“I’m more confident than ever but I need to be smart and physical in the fight,” said Viloria. “One thing that will lead me to victory is to put pressure and push Roman back.” Will it be the end of the Roman Empire? Will the Hawaiian Punch go down in history as the first man ever to defeat Gonzalez?