PSA to fete Viloria, 3 other pro boxers

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Sportswriters Association will honor Brian Viloria and three other top Filipino fighters for their explosive feats last year during the PSA Awards Night on March 16 at the Manila Hotel ballroom.

Viloria, Johnriel Casimero, Donnie Nietes, and Sonny Boy Jaro made it to the big stage after succeeding in their respective world title quests on a year best remembered for the rise to fame of Nonito Donaire Jr. and the fall of ring icon Manny Pacquiao.

The four will also be honored as boxers of the year in the 13th Flash Elorde Memorial Boxing Awards slated March 25 at the Sofitel Hotel.

“They all deserve to be feted and share the spotlight when we honor the big achievers of 2012 in two weeks time,” said PSA president Rey Bancod of Tempo after a board meeting. 

For his achievement on a year that saw him defend his crown three times in a busy reign as world champion, Donaire was named one of four winners of the highly coveted Athlete of the Year award given annually by the country’s oldest association of media practitioners.

Josie Gabuco, the first Filipina to win a world title in amateur boxing, the multi-titled Ateneo Blue Eagles, and the world champion Manila women’s softball squad, will share the top award with Donaire in recognition of their feats that highlighted local sports last year.

Pro cager Mark Caguioa, jockey Jonathan Hernandez, pro golfer Tony Lascuña, horse Hagdang Bato, amateur cager Bobby Ray Parks, and amateur golfer Dottie Ardina will also be feted during the rites backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Globalport 900, Rain or Shine, Philippine Basketball Association, Smart, LBC, Sen. Chiz Escudero, and ICTSI and the Philippine Golf Tour.

Bancod said the board is  finalizing the list of awardees, including the recipients of the Antonio Siddayao plum, citations, and other special awards like the National Sports Association of the Year.

Viloria, 31, unified the world flyweight titles with a sensational 10th round knockout of Mexican Hernan “Tyson” Marquez in October in Los Angeles, withstanding a heavy bombardment from the Mexican and sending his rival to dreamland with 1:01 left in that fateful round.

Unlike Viloria, Casimero took the hard way before making it. He retained his IBF junior fly championship with a split decision over Pedro Guevarra in Sinaloa, Mexico in August, going great in the late rounds to salvage the thriller.

In a victory that merited big spaces in top newspapers here and abroad, Casimero endured a mob that attacked his corner after scoring a surprising 10th round TKO victory over former Argentine world titlist Luis Lazarte to win the interim IBF junior fly crown in Mar de Plata, Argentina in February.

Nietes made it to the honor roll after retaining the WBO light-flyweight crown with a decisive win over Felipe Salguero at the Resorts World Hotel in Pasay City in July.

Jaro for his part pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in boxing history after scoring a sixth round knockout of legendary Thai fighter Pongsaklek Wonjongkam to wrest the WBC flyweight title in the city of Chonburi, Thailand.