Viloria wins trilogy via TKO of Mexico’s Romero

PASIG CITY – Reigning WBO flyweight champion Brian ‘The Hawaiian Punch’ Viloria scored a technical knockout victory in the ninth round against Mexican rival Omar Nino Romero in their trilogy, dubbed “Island Assault IV” at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City last Sunday.
Viloria, 31, retained his crown as he dominated his Mexican opponent before Romero’s corner threw in the towel in the ninth round after the Filipino fighter released unanswered punches.

In their first fight, Romero grabbed the World Boxing Council (WBC) light-flyweight title from Viloria in 2006 via unanimous decision.
The second encounter between the two fighters ended in a draw but later was declared “a no decision” due to post-fight drug test on the Mexican boxer.
The victory of the former American boxer from Hawaii who hails his roots in Ilocos came on the heels of his honeymoon with his wife Erika in London and Paris.
“It’s time to rest and time to enjoy the honeymoon I promised my wife two years ago,” said Viloria at the Ynares Sports Center after the fight.
“It’s a big psychological win for me. The monkey’s off my back,” said  Viloria after his third fight with the native of Guadalajara, Mexico.
Romero protested the way referee Mike Ortega stepped in to halt the fight in the 2:07 mark of the ninth round, when he took a series of blows and wobbled in his own corner.
“If he was surprised by the stoppage, I was not. I knew he was hurt and it was just a matter of time. It is what it is,” said Viloria.
“Omar was unfinished business for Brian,” said Viloria’s manager, Gary Gittelsohn, now eyeing a unification bout with WBA 112 lb king Hernan “Tyson” Marquez.
“I think it’s the bigger and easier fight to make because Marquez brings a lot more to the table than (Roman) Gonzalez. It will be a unification bout,” said Gittelsohn.
Gonzalez is the WBA light-flyweight champion from Nicaragua. He’s a southpaw, undefeated in 32 fights with 27 knockouts.
The Hawaiian Puncher lost his IBF light-fly crown to Carlos Tamara at the Cuneta Astrodome in 2010 and was literally written off with the defeat. But he refused to roll over and die, and bounced back.
Viloria scored back-to-back wins then snatched the WBO flyweight title from Julio Cesar Miranda in July last year, and defending it against Giovani Segura last December.
Miranda saw action in the Viloria-Romero undercard and took a beating from former world champion Rodel Mayol who floored the Mexican in the first, second and fifth rounds en route to a unanimous victory.
Viloria was all over Romero from start to finish, and the Mexican looked dazed early on. Thrice he walked to the wrong corner at the bell, and the crowd jeered.
Romero started to bleed from the corner of his left eye in the fifth round, and there was no doubt he was taking a beating from his old victim.