THE HAWAIIAN PUNCH FIGHTS ON. Brian Viloria sends Omar Soto to the canvas with a right hook. (Photo : Jhay Oh Otamias)
SINGAPORE -- Sooner or later, he always finds a way to get back to title contention.
Former unified flyweight champion of the world, Brian "Hawaiian Punch" Viloria (36-4, 22 KO's) has just landed perhaps the biggest fight in his nearly 15-year professional boxing career, against undefeated Nicaraguan Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez (43-0, 37 KO's).
The pair are scheduled to trade leather on October 17, as a co-main event to the Gennady Golovkin - David Lemieux headlined card at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Many consider Gonzalez to be the absolute best in the lower weight classes. He's amassed a stellar record over a short period of time and has won nine of his last 10 fights by knockout.
The last time Gonzalez heard the final bell was back in 2012, when he decisioned Juan Francisco Estrada -- the man who took Viloria's flyweight belts.
Viloria on the other hand, is coming off a scintillating knockout win over Omar Soto, finishing off the Mexican in the very first round after sending him to the canvas three times.
The Filipino-American from Waipahu, Hawaii has had an up-and-down sort of career, always performing well in big fights while often underperforming against opponents of 'lesser' calibre. Against Gonzalez, Viloria feels he'll be at his best.
"I've always gotten up for big, huge fights like this," said Viloria, breaking the news to USA TODAY Sports. "Especially fights where I've been the underdog, I actually relish in that a bit."
After he came into prominence with a spectacular one-punch knockout of Eric Ortiz to win the light flyweight title in 2005, Viloria went on a rollercoaster ride delighting fans with some quality victories and disenchanting them with a handful of heartbreaking setbacks.
Viloria became the first to unify the flyweight titles in nearly 50 years when he defeated Hernan Marquez in 2012 and then lost his belts to Estrada in his first defense shortly after.
Now, against Gonzalez, Viloria not only fights for the WBC World Flyweight Title, which will be on the line, but for also for his legacy.
Gonzalez is a fixture in most mythical top ten pound-for-pound rankings and is considered the man to beat at flyweight.
"They don't know if I still have what it takes to beat a guy like [Roman Gonzalez]," said Viloria. "This is the type of fight that gets me pumped, gets my blood flowing and extremely motivates me in trying to perform the best that I can."
Gonzalez is a very busy fighter, with knockout power to boot. He possesses the qualities that has troubled Viloria throughout his career -- fighters with pop and a decent amount of stamina who never stop coming.
But at his best, Viloria is a tremendous tactical fighter with devastating power, his body punching in particular is the stuff of legend.
If Viloria can put his head together in training, where he spends most of his days at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Boxing Club residing in Los Angeles, he can do some serious damage. Viloria defeating Gonzalez will be monumental, and will definitely open up the doors to bigger fights down the road.
A win would certainly do good for his stock.
"I think a lot of people give [Gonzalez] a little too much credit vs. opposition that he should be getting out of the ring or he should be beating," said Viloria.
Against a busy and determined fighter like Gonzalez however, Viloria has to make sure he conditions himself well to prevent fading late, which he has had trouble with in the past. Still, Viloria remains confident he'll give Gonzalez a good run for his money.
"In my eyes, I don't think he's really been tested the way I'm going to test him on October 17, but he's very technical, he does the right things in the ring at the right time. I haven't really seen anybody put a lot of pressure on him or try to exchange with him as much as they should."
Viloria-Gonzalez is a great addition to the Golovkin-Lemieux card and will assuredly sell an extra heap of tickets to avid fans of the sweet science.
"I believe when it comes to October a lot of people are going to be surprised at what they're going to see: that I'm a devastating puncher, that I can overcome a fighter like Roman Gonzalez."
