Viloria retains his IBF Junior Flyweight (108 lbs.) title via UD
USA’s Brian Viloria [26(15)-2(0)-0] vs. Mexico’s Jesus Iribe [15(9)-6(1)-5]
August 29 (Saturday) - Honolulu, HI
Viloria entered the ring with Hawaiian native dancers and the fast invigorating beat from the old Hawaii Five-O theme. The first round as well as the rest of the fight has been queued well as Viloria’s hand speed seem to be in rhythm with the 70s detective show tune. That was the determining dynamic of the whole fight – Viloria’s speed. Iribe was game but cannot match well to Viloria’s quick hands.
Iribe’s forehead was already noticeably swollen after the first round. I have Viloria taking 5 of the first 6 rounds where I called even on one. The scores were 118-110, 117-112 and 117-111. I have it at 117-113 with two 10-10s. It was a good show for one of Hawaii’s favorite sons against an assertive challenger.
Iribe made a good account of himself. I thought he won a few of the later rounds. He did not back out of any exchanges and was competitive all throughout the fight. It was later announced that Iribe actually broke his right hand. That did not stop him from going toe-to-toe in the action-packed, no holds barred twelfth round. It was actually ill-advised for Viloria to go all out in the last canto with the win safely tucked in but fans did not mind.
Viloria’s intended next target is a rematch and a unification fight against his last tormentor and current WBC titleholder Edgar Sosa. The same title they fought for two years ago. Sosa has been planning on moving up in weight soon but a final bout in the 108-lb. division against Viloria will be a blockbuster and probably attract a US broadcast. Sosa of course has to first win against Omar Soto on September 15. His tenth defense of the title.
It was a good return for world boxing title fights in the paradise state after 33 years. Former titleholder and the original Hawaiian Punch, Jesus Salud, was the internet PPV broadcast analyst for the US feed. There were a few kinks but not something that cannot be straightened out after a couple more hosting of the sweet science.
Huck wins Ramirez’s WBO Junior Heavyweight (200 lbs.) title via UD
Argentina’s Victor Emilio Ramirez [15(12)-2(0)-0] vs. Serbia’s Marco Huck [26(20)-1(1)-0]
August 29 (Saturday) – Halle, Germany
Huck stuck to his game plan and earned himself a world title. Credit should also be given to Huck’s trainer Uli Wegener who transformed him from a world kickboxing champion to a world boxing titlist. Given Huck’s propensity to lose his temper when the going gets tough, he kept his cool the whole time. The sneaky push offs with his head and the low blows though is still a part of his game. Huck will always be known for his notorious persona and his foul tactics. Nevertheless, that does not take away from his well deserved win over the intimidating Ramirez.
Huck used the whole ring then took shots at Ramirez on opportune times. His defense and patience were significant factors as he clinched and pushed off when his back touches the ropes. He did not engage against the stockier Ramirez who can outslug anyone in close quarters. He took his time and used his length and threw combos from a distance.
Ramirez yelled and vent out his frustrations in the 4th when he cannot get Huck to go toe-to-toe with him. He was consistently hounding Huck which made him vulnerable to Huck’s measured jabs followed by right straights or solid right uppercuts. Those uppercuts were especially effective in the 5th round.
The scores were 116-111, 116-111 and 115-112. Huck was deducted a point in the 11th for a low blow after being warned in the 7th. I have it at 115-112. Huck is a German citizen born in the former Yugoslavia in a town that is now part of Serbia. His family fled his home country for Germany during Milosevic reign of terror.
It might be wishful thinking but a brawl against fellow European bomber Tomasz Adamek at the Prudential Arena will hopefully be something that can be looked into by the powers to be. It doesn’t hurt to dream. Anyway, the more realistic fight for Huck is a rematch against Steve Cunningham but this time with roles reversed. In late 2007, Cunningham was defending his IBF 200-lb. title. That fight ended when Wegener threw in the towel in the 12th at a time when Cunningham was mercilessly battering Huck.
Caballero retains his WBA Super Bantamweight and IBF Junior Featherweight (122 lbs.) titles via TKO8
Panama’s Celestino Caballero [33(23)-2(1)-0] vs. Mexico’s Francisco Leal [14(9)-5(3)-2]
August 29 (Saturday) - Mexicali, BCN, Mexico
Caballero took care of business as expected in where else, the opponent’s home country. Just like his title clinching wins against Steve Molitor in Canada and Somsak Sithchatchawal in Thailand, winning away from home comes natural for the “Pelenchin”.
Leal tried to get close and slug it out behind the cheers of his hometown crowd but was simply too small to overcome the overwhelming height and reach advantage of Caballero. Caballero’s jabs and right hook found its mark from start until the fight was stopped in the 8th. Leal was cut over the left eye.
A potential January slugfest against his WBO counterpart, Juan Manuel Lopez, has already been reported in Puerto Rico’s leading daily, Primera Hora. Lopez is scheduled to face Rogers Mtagwa on October 10 at the Madison Square Garden in New York. The title unification against Caballero will be next before JuanMa moves up to the featherweight division against stable mate and fellow knockout sensation Yuriorkis Gamboa. Caballero has been calling out Lopez for what seems like forever. Until recently, the Lopez camp has finally showed that it is a possibility.
Urango retains his IBF Junior Welterweight (140 lbs.) title via TKO11
Colombia’s Juan Urango [22(17)-2(0)-1] vs. USA’s Randall Bailey [39(35)-7(3)-0]
August 28 (Friday) – Hollywood, FL
Bailey’s perfectly timed right knocked Urango down in the 6th. Badly staggered and with a nasty cut below the right eye, Urango recovered and came back to stop Bailey in the 11th. Bailey also went down twice in the ninth and once in the tenth.
In the post-fight interview, Urango mentioned that a title unification against Tim Bradley is something that he wants to pursue.
You can read more about this fight in the article written by my 8CN colleague, Chris Robinson.
Cloud wins vacant Light Heavyweight (175 lbs.) title via UD
USA’s Tavoris Cloud [20(18)-0(0)-0] vs. UK’s Clinton Woods [42(24)-5(1)-1]
August 28 (Friday) – Hollywood, FL
After a long time waiting for Chad Dawson, Cloud eventually got what he aimed for - a world title belt. He was Dawson’s mandatory challenger when Dawson relinquished to set out for more lucrative fights.
If Jean Pascal successfully defends his WBC title against Silvio Branco next month, a Cloud-Pascal bout is an attractive scenario in Montreal.
There is more about this fight also in Chris Robinson’s article.
Updated Tally
|
Rank |
Country |
No. of Titles |
Title Holders |
|
1st |
USA |
12 |
|
|
2nd |
Mexico |
9 |
|
|
3rd |
Puerto Rico |
7 |
|
|
4th |
Ukraine |
5 |
-
Sergiy Dzinziruk - WBO154
-
Vitali Klitschko - WBC200+
-
Wladimir Klitschko - IBF200+;WBO200+;Ring200+ |
|
5th |
Panama |
4 |
|
|
6th |
Japan |
3 |
|
|
7th (8 are tied) |
Argentina |
2 |
|
|
7th (8 are tied) |
Armenia |
2 |
|
|
7th (8 are tied) |
Philippines |
2 |
-
Donnie Nietes - WBO105
-
Manny Pacquiao - Ring140 |
|
7th (8 are tied) |
Poland |
2 |
|
|
7th (8 are tied) |
Russia |
2 |
|
|
7th (8 are tied) |
Thailand |
2 |
|
|
7th (8 are tied) |
UK |
2 |
-
Carl Froch - WBC168
-
Amir Khan - WBA140 |
|
7th (8 are tied) |
Venezuela |
2 |
-
Jorge Linares - WBA130
-
Edwin Valero - WBC135 |
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Colombia |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Denmark |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Dominican Republic |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Germany |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Ghana |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Haiti |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Hungary |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Indonesia |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Italy |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Nicaragua |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Romania |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Serbia (Yugoslavia) |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
South Africa |
1 |
|
|
15th (14 are tied) |
Spain |
1 |
|
List Rules: (1) Only Ring, WBA, WBC, IBF & WBO; (2) Excluded interim champs, WBA's regular champs (when there are unified/super champs), champs-in-recess, emeritus status champ, WBC's diamond title and whatever extra sanctioning fee driven title; (3) Tally titles not titleholders; (4) Considered boxer's country of birth NOT ancestry, naturalized citizenship nor adopted home country.
Dennis Carreon can be reached at denniscmc@gmail.com
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