Quijano: Brian Viloria in a dogfight today

Saturday, December 10, 2011

WE’VE got a stacked fight schedule today and when there’s a lot on our plate, let’s get it on right away.

First off we have the battle for the WBO flyweight diadem featuring our very own Brian Viloria against the streaking Giovanni Segura. Here’s how they stack up:

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Brian Viloria: 29-3, 16KOs

Strengths: One-punch knockout power, speed, experience, boxing skills.

Weaknesses: stamina, height and reach disadvantage.

Style: Comes forward behind a smooth jab and a powerful right hand behind it. Likes to throw combinations in the middle of the ring.

Best Performances: KO11 Ulisses Solis (2009), KO1 Eric Ortiz.

Giovanni Segura: 28-1, 24KOs

Strengths: Punching power in both hands, stamina, aggression, confidence, chin.

Weaknesses: Leaky defense, Speed disadvantage.

Style: Listed as orthodox but can fight as southpaw. Likes to come forward throwing punches from all angles and break down his opponents through sheer aggression.

Best performances: KO3 Ivan Calderon (2011), KO8 Ivan Calderon (2008)

MY TAKE. On paper this appears to be the quintessential boxer vs. brawler duel. However there are a lot of factors to be considered.

Viloria is a smooth fluid boxer, but has fight-ending power in that right hand. He is especially dangerous in the early rounds. Ostensibly, he is notorious for gassing out in the championship rounds.

Segura is famous for finding the antidote to the conundrum that was Ivan Calderon. He stopped him on two occasions and succeeded where others failed miserably.
He did it with a brutal body assault that had Calderon wilting under its searing pressure.

However, Calderon couldn’t punch his way out of a paper bag and his pitty-pat blows could not keep away the rampaging Mexican.

Viloria, however, will present a formidable challenge as the “Hawaiian Punch” will be dangerous in the first half of the fight as Segura throws himself in harm’s way.

All things considered, I like Viloria early. Segura’s chin will be severely tested in this fight as he likes to plod forward with his hands down. However, if he survives the early bombardment, he will break down Viloria and stop him in the later rounds.

KHAN vs PETERSON. The loquacious Amir Khan (26-1, 18KOs) faces off against American Lamont Peterson for the WBA and IBF junior welterweight titles.

Khan is fresh off an impressive fifth-round stoppage of former world champion Zab Judah.

Peterson, on the other hand, is coming off a 12th round knockout of power-puncher Victor Manuel Cayo.

Lamont brings considerable credentials to the table as he has a draw with former champion Victor Ortiz and lost by decision in a controversial head-butt marred bout against Timothy Bradley.

He is a pressure fighter and will probably take Khan to deep waters with his brutal body attacks. The key here for Khan is to box and win majority of the rounds with his eye-catching combinations.

I’m not an Amir Khan fan and I certainly will be rooting for Peterson on this one, but I think “King Khan” escapes with a decision if he is able to utilize his superior hand and foot speed.

UFC 140. I always get goose bumps everytime Jon Jones fights. He is so incredibly talented that his opponents seem to run out of ideas and strategy to counter-act his offensive arsenal.

In UFC 140 today, Jones will be up against former champion Lyoto Machida, an equally talented competitor.

A few years back, I thought Machida would remain on top for a long time as his unorthodox karate-based style, seemed to throw off a lot of opponents.

However, Shogun Rua proved he was human and presently, the inscrutability that once permeated Machida seems to have vanished.

But in actual fights, you never really know. I’m predicting an impressive striking battle in the first round before Jones eventually overpowers Machida and submits him in the second.

LAST ROUNDS. Are on Bobby Motus, who recently celebrated his birthday, and my batchmates from USC Law ’98. It was great seeing familiar faces gathered round once more. Cheers guys!

(jingo_quijano@yahoo.com)