Tonight at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, native son Brian Viloria makes his return to the state to defend his IBF Light Flyweight title against Mexican challenger Jesus Iribe. Their twelve-round title bout headlines an eight-fight card, dubbed “Island Assault,” which marks the most significant event to take place in the state for over thirty years. A potential unification bout against WBO 108-pound ruler Ivan Calderon could hang in the balance for Viloria. Fighters weighed in on Friday at the venue where they will clash tonight.
Viloria (25-2, 15 KOs) of Waipahu, Hawaii developed as a young aspiring boxer at the Waipahu Boxing Club, eventually ascending to the upper echelon of amateur boxing and representing his country in the 2000 Olympic Games. In the years since he has carried the hopes of boxing aficionados in a state that was once a boxing hotbed but has not hosted a world championship fight since 1976. While there are currently a handful of Hawaiian amateurs highly ranked by USA Boxing, Viloria is the face of professional boxing for the state and much of their future rides on his success both in the ring and at the ticket window. Tonight he makes the first defense of his IBF title, his second reign as a 108-pound champion. Viloria had no trouble making weight on Friday, scaling 107 ½ pounds.
Iribe (15-5-5, 9 KOs) of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico will make his first ring appearance outside of his native country and take his second stab at grabbing a world title. In February of last year, Iribe went the twelve-round distance with WBC Light Flyweight titleholder Edgar Sosa, only to drop the unanimous decision. The bout was nearly a shutout on the scorecards for the defending Sosa, who won his title with a victory over Viloria in 2007. Iribe did have to battle a bit with the scales on Friday as he originally came in at 108 ¼. Iribe’s team insisted that he was right on weight on a different scale just before the weigh-in. After jogging in a suit for a bit, Iribe returned to the scale in the nude to weigh in right on weight to ensure the title bout.
Three high profile bouts will round out the television broadcast for Philippine network Solar Sports’ broadcast. Former title challenger A.J. Banal (19-1-1, 16 KOs) of Ermita, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines will take on venerable Mexican journeyman Jose Angel Beranza (32-15-2, 25 KOs) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico in a ten-round bantamweight bout. Banal has won two straight in his native Philippines since suffering a knockout defeat to Rafael Concepcion in a failed try at the Interim WBA Super Flyweight title just over a year ago. Banal weighed in at 118 ¾ pounds. Beranza, coming off of an upset win over highly regarded prospect Juan Carlos Velasquez, came in at 118 ¼ pounds.
Former title challenger Alfonso Gomez (19-4-2, 9 KOs) of Whittier, California will meet Raul Munoz (20-12-1, 15 KOs) of Topeka, Kansas in a ten-round light middleweight fight. Gomez, an original cast member of The Contender, is coming of a thrilling eight-round knockout of Juan Manuel Buendia in May. Gomez weighed in at 154.2 pounds. Munoz, who has dropped three of his last four to previously undefeated foes, weighed in at 156.3 pounds.
Streaking Filipino contender Dennis Laurente (31-3-5, 16 KOs) of Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines will meet Zaid Zavaleta (18-5-2, 11 KOs) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico in a ten-round light welterweight bout. Laurente, a victor in his last eight consecutive bouts, weighed in at 142 pounds. Zavaleta, who challenged Edwin Valero unsuccessfully for the WBA Super Featherweight title in 2007, weighed in at 141 pounds.
Local Hawaiian fighters will get a rare opportunity to fight on a big stage in the four remaining bouts on the card. Michael Balasi (7-1, 5 KOs) of Honolulu will meet Toby Misech (1-0) of Hilo in a four-round welterweight fight. Balasi weighed in at 149 ¼ pounds, while Misech came in at 149 ½.
Justin Mercado (1-0) of Honolulu will take on Richard Barnard (1-1) of Makakilo City in a four-round light welterweight fight. Mercado weighed in at 144 ½, while Barnard scaled 141 ½ pounds.
Isaac Arasato (4-0, 3 KOs) of Honolulu will take on Donald Gonzalez (0-1) of Hilo in a four-round welterweight fight. Gonzalez, weighing in at 149 ½, will have a sizable weight advantage over his opponent. Arasato scaled only 131 ½ pounds Friday.
In the featured women’s contest, Kuulei Kupihea (3-1) of Mililani will face debuting Shalae Padilla of Kona in a four-round welterweight fight. Kupihea weighed in at 148 ½ pounds, while Padilla scaled 147.
Tickets for the event, promoted by Tom Moffatt Productions, are available online at Ticketmaster.com.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
IBF Light Flyweight Championship, 12 Rounds
Viloria 107 ½
Iribe 108
Bantamweights, 10 Rounds
Banal 118 1/4
Beranza 118
Light Middleweights, 10 Rounds
Gomez 154.2
Munoz 156.3
Light Welterweights, 10 Rounds
Laurente 142
Zavaleta 141
Light welterweights, 4 Rounds
Mercado 144 ½
Barnard 141 ½
Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Balasi 149 ¼
Misech 149 ½
Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Gonzalez 149
Arasato 131 ½
Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Kupihea 148 ½
Padilla 147
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