2 Pinoys in undercard of Viloria-Miranda tiff

Brian “The Hawaiian Punch” Viloria (28W-3L, 16 KOs) will fight defending champion Julio Cesar Miranda (35W-5L-1D, 28 KOs) of Mexico this Sunday for the latter’s WBO flyweight crown at the Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Viloria will attempt to win a world title at 112lb after two brief reigns at the 108lb division.

Meanwhile, two Filipino boxers are slated to see action in the undercard.

World-ranked Denver “The Excitement” Cuello (26W-4L-6D, 16 KOs) of Iloilo will face Omar “El Pastor” Soto (15W-7L-1D, 6 KOs)of Puerto Rico. Cuello, who fights out of the Aljoe Jaro Stable, holds the WBC International minimumweight title. He stopped Samart Chaiyong of Thailand last March in Angono, Rizal. Soto has lost to name fighters like Ramon Garcia Hirales, Oleydong Sithsamerchai and Edgar Sosa. He is different from the Omar Soto of Mexico who fought Viloria last year..

Michael Fareñas (31W (KO26)-3L-3D), who fights out of Gerry Peñalosa’s Gym in Metro Manila, will face Mexican Fernando Beltran Jr. (35W (KO19)-5L-1D). Fareñas scored a big win in his last overseas outing by beating former world title challenger Daniel Attah of Nigeria by majority decision in California. Beltran is a former IBO featherweight champion.

Former two division world champ Gerry Peñalosa will be in Hawaii to watch his protege in action. Cuello vs. Soto and Fareñas vs. Beltran are both non-title bouts.

The 30-year-old Viloria won the WBC light flyweight title by first round knockout over Eric Ortiz of Mexico. He lost the title in his second defense to Omar Niño Romero in 2006. Three years later, Viloria won the IBF version of the title at the Araneta Coliseum by stopping Ulises Solis of Mexico in 11 rounds. Viloria lost that title to Colombia’s Carlos Tamara by 12th round TKO at the Cuneta Astrodome nine months later.

Since that loss, Viloria has fought at the heavier flyweight division. He beat Omar Soto (SD 10) of Mexico and Liempetch Sor Veerapol (TKO 7) of Thailand at the Yñares Sports Arena in Pasig City last year.

Miranda has made three successful defenses of his WBO title. He won the vacant title by beating Filipino Richie Mepranum by 5th round TKO. In his last title defense, he stopped another Filipino, Arden Diale in four rounds.