Viloria picked to win

Boxing historian Graham Houston is picking Hawaii-born Filipino Brian Viloria to beat World Boxing Council (WBC) lightflyweight champion Eric Ortiz of Mexico in their 12-round title fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday (Sunday morning, Manila).

The bout is in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Hector Velazquez and Erik Morales-Zahir Raheem double main event to be shown on Solar Sports this Sunday morning.

Houston, writing in Boxing Update Flash, said he expects a close, competitive fight with Viloria’s hand speed and body punching giving him the edge. He declined to predict if Viloria will win by knockout or on points.

Houston described the fight as "intriguing" because Viloria had to undergo an emotionally trying time when his last opponent Ruben Contreras lingered in a coma in a Los Angeles hospital after being stopped in six rounds. He said Contreras’ recovery was "a huge relief" for Viloria.

But Ortiz isn’t about to give up his throne without a fight. The Mexican is expected to go all out to repulse Viloria in the challenger’s first title crack.

"Ortiz is tough and seasoned with only one defeat in the last eight years," wrote Houston. "Viloria has the amateur pedigree that includes being world amateur champion. Viloria is the faster, flashier, more naturally gifted of the two fighters but Ortiz has solid fundamental ability and showed a lot of confidence in the fight with (Jose Antonio) Aguirre."

Ortiz, 28, claimed the vacant WBC 108-pound title by halting Aguirre in Mexico City last March. In his previous fight, Ortiz scored a fifth round technical decision over Filipino Wyndel Janiola in Tijuana.

Houston downplayed Ortiz’ victory when he called Aguirre "a naturally smaller man who while once a distinguished champion at 105 pounds, was showing wear and tear." He said Viloria is younger and bigger and "Ortiz won’t be able to dominate physically the way he did against Aguirre."

As for Viloria, Houston said the Filipino looked powerful in dismantling Angel Priolo of Colombia with a body shot in seven rounds last December.

"Viloria’s body punching was very impressive that night and he seemed finally to have arrived as a professional," continued Houston. "Viloria is moving down from 112 pounds but his camp does not see this as a problem although he is not expected to remain very long at lightflyweight."

In a Star interview, Viloria said he slid down to the lightflyweight division because WBC flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand just wouldn’t agree to fight him.

Pongsaklek has held the WBC title since 2001 and has made 11 successful defenses, seven in Thailand and four in Japan. He is slated to make his next defense in Tokyo next month.

"I wouldn’t mind fighting him in the Philippines or Japan," said Viloria. "It’s difficult to lure him out of Thailand, no matter how much money he’s offered. In Thailand, you’ve got to score a knockout to win because if the fight goes the distance and you’ve beaten up your opponent, you’ll be lucky to get a draw."

When Jorge Arce relinquished the WBC lightflyweight crown, Viloria saw the chance to gun for the title by moving down to the 108-pound class.

In another fight on the card, Bohol bantamweight sensation Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista faces Felix Murillo of Colombia in an eight-rounder.

Like Pacquiao, Bautista trains at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles. Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune puts Bautista through a variety of rigorous daily exercises. Freddie Roach supervises Bautista’s training with Edito Villamor who flew in from Cebu with the unbeaten knockout artist.

"On Tuesdays and Thursdays which are non-sparring days, Rey would run 3 1/2 miles on hilly terrain," said Bautista’s US agent Mike Koncz. "Rey jogs on relatively flat terrain and does 5 1/2 miles in 35 minutes on sparring days."

Among Bautista’s sparmates are Viloria, bantamweight Jorge Alberto Cruz, flyweight Jose Albuquerque and superfeatherweight Heder Rivas.

As for Pacquiao, his manager Shelly Finkel said he’s optimistic of a big win.

"I would have liked Manny to have trained longer but he’s training hard and looks good," wrote Finkel in ane-mail to The Star. "Freddie and Manny got tapes of Velazquez from me and they are working on a strategy to bring victory. It is a big fight but not as big as the rematch with Morales."