For all intents and purposes this Saturday night belongs to one Gennady Golovkin. With twenty knockouts in a row, the support of the biggest platform of the spot in HBO and a growing fan base, there really isn’t anything wrong that the man from Kazakhstan. The only way anyone in the boxing world besides his promoter Golden Boy Promotions will pay attention to David Lemieux is if he actually beats Golovkin. Many believe this weekend is also the coming out party for Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez who after Floyd Mayweather Jr announcing his retirement has been put in on the top of many pound for pound best lists. One man that has been nearly forgotten is former champ Brian “Hawaiian Punch” Viloria.
The thirty-four year old Viloria of Waipahu, Hawaii, holds a record of thirty-six win against four losses. He’s finished twenty-two of his opponents before the limit. All this after a success and impressive amateur career where in 1999 he hit the trifecta by winning the US championships, the National Golden Gloves and the World Amateur Boxing Championships but the next year was eliminated early in the Sydney Olympics. He finished his amateur career with a record of 230-8.
Known for his strong boxing skills, quick hands and feet but especially for power in either fist, he captured his first title back in 2005 with a first round knockout of Eric Ortiz to strap the WBC light flyweight title around his waist. He dropped it to Omar Niño Romero the following year and didn’t get another opportunity for a title until 2009 when he stopped Ulises “Archie” Solis for the IBF strap in the same division. After losing the title to Carlos Tamera after one defense, he only had to wait two years instead of four for his next title which was the WBO flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Julio Cesar “Pingo” Miranda.
His last loss was in 2013 when he dropped his WBO title to Juan Francisco “Gallito” Estrada, who with a win over Gonzalez, he would like to face again.
Although Gonzalez is considered one of the best in the world if not the best at the moment, Viloria will be the most experienced fighter he has ever faced. Many boxing fans are overlooking Viloria because of his age which at thirty-four is up there for a little man in the sport as well as for the not-so-stellar performances he’s had throughout his career where more of him was expected.
Like any other fighter, Viloria has stated this has been the best camp he’s ever had but for some reason you want to believe him. He mentions this fight is the biggest one of his career and he is ready to do anything to get the win on this, the biggest stage of his career. The fight is the semi-main event of this Saturday’s PPV. Because of that, you can’t overlook the little man from the Aloha state, he just might pull the biggest upset of the weekend if not the year.
