Earlier today at Haneda airport that was an event held to try and build attention for the final big show of the decade, a triple world title card in Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan

One of the world title bouts there will see Miyo Yoshida [吉田 実代] defending her WBO Female Jr. Bantamweight World title against Chinese challenger Li Ping Shi.

Today the two were supposed to have a face off as part of the event, though unfortunately Shi’s arrival in Japan was delayed, leaving Yoshida, along with her 4 year old daughter, on the stage.

Yoshida sport about Shi being a strong fighter but believed she had the skills to win, and had practised hard. Her daughter, who had dressed like a character from Frozen, added that she wanted her mum to win, in scenes that were surprisingly cute for what was essentially a boxing press conference.

Despite have not yet scored a stoppage win Yoshida was tipped to score her first stoppage here by both Daisuke Naito and Takashi Uchiyama, who will be doing the commentary on Paravi for the bout.

Via AsianBoxing.info

Photo via bbm-japan.com / FujikiPhoto: Akira Honma

Date: April 6, 2013

WBO Flyweight Championship Title Bout

Location: Macao S.A.R., China

Promoter:  Bob Arum (Top Rank)

Referee:  Genaro Rodriguez

Judges:  Levi Martinez (115-113), Michael Pernick (111-116), Francisco Martinez (111-117)

Supervisor:  Francisco Valcárcel, Esq.

Results:  Brian Viloria (32-4) lost his title in a 12-round split decision against Juan Francisco Estrada (23-2), new WBO Champion.

Date:  Saturday, April 6, 2013

WBO Super Featherweight Title

Location:   Venetian Casino & Resort, Macao, Macao S.A.R., China

Promoter:  Bob Arum / Top Rank

Referee:  Raul Caiz, Jr.

Judges:  Levi Martinez (115-112), Michael Pernick (114-113), Robert Hoyle (111-116)

Supervisor:  Luis Perez

Results:  Roman Martinez  (27-1) retained his title in a 12-round split decision over Diego Magadaleno (23-1).  Magdaleno down once in the 4th round.

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By: Abac Cordero (The Phillipine Star) –

MACAU – Brian Viloria comfortably made the weight and is all set to defend his WBO and WBA flyweight titles against Mexican Juan Francisco Estrada at the Cotai Arena of The Venetian Hotel here tonight.

Viloria gently tipped the scales and gazed at its electronic reading. He came in at 111.3 while his opponent weighed in at 112 pounds flat for their 12-round fight scheduled to start a little past 10.

The Filipino champion got off the scales as quickly as he could, without flexing his muscles. He stood face-to-face with Estrada for a couple of seconds then turned away, grabbed a bottle of some energy drink and left the stage.

Estrada stood a shade taller than Viloria, and proudly wore a Mexican hat after weighing in. He faced the cameras and looked dangerous as he showed off his wide body.

Viloria, 32, is putting everything at stake in this fight – his titles and perhaps even his future. After knocking out Hernan “Tyson” Marquez last November, he became the first unified flyweight champion since 1965.

Estrada was only 10 years old when Viloria competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and is here for all the marbles. He’s lucky to get a shot at Viloria after losing a 12-round battle with Roman Gonzales for the light-flyweight title last November.

Viloria will make sure he leaves this gambling paradise with his belts.

“I’m not going to give up this championship that easy,” he said.

“I fought my way tooth and nail to get to this point. There’s a lot more ways to go. There are bigger and better things ahead. I don’t know how bigger and better it can get after this but I feel I’m on the right track and I want to stay on this track,” Viloria added.

The reigning champion plans to get off to a fast start and see what happens along the way. He added that he’s ready to go the distance against the 22-year-old Mexican.

“I want to use all my tools. It’s all about being able to adjust. We’ll see. That’s always my plan – to start strong and adjust accordingly. I don’t want to fight a one-dimensional fight. My stamina is there. I’ve been going 10 or 12 rounds (in training) without skipping a heartbeat,” he said.

“I will give my all inside the ring as always. I’m excited,” said Estrada the other day, adding that he’s now more comfortable fighting in the 112 lb division that he was before when he lost a close fight to Gonzales.

“I feel stronger now,” Estrada said.

Viloria trained more than two months at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, under Filipino Marvin Sonsona and the guidance of Freddie Roach. To man his corner for the fight are old hand Ruben Gomez and Sonsona

“Freddie just gives his recommendations. He didn’t work with me as much as Marvin did but we worked as a team. It’s not more about teaching but reminding you how to go about, and use the tools that I have.

“It was all about reminding me ‘don’t forget to do this or don’t forget to do that’ or ‘I know you can do that,’” said Viloria.

Three other Filipinos will see action in this “Fists of Gold” card presented by Top Rank. They are the Peñalosa brothers, Dave and Dodie Boy Jr., and Milan Melindo.

Dave, undefeated in five fights, will figure four-round, super-bantamweight clash with Thailand’s Cheroenchai Sithsaithong while his older brother Dodie Boy Jr. also unbeaten in 10 outings, takes on Nimithra Sithsaithong in a featherweight bout scheduled for six rounds.

Milan Melindo of the famed ALA Boxing Club of Cebu, will climb the ring against Indonesia’s Tommy Seran for 10 rounds in the flyweight division.

http://www.philstar.com/sports/2013/04/06/927533/viloria-vows-keep-belts-vs-mexican

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By Karl Freitag
Photo: Chris Farina/Top Rank –

The final press conference for Saturday’s big world championship twinbill in Macao, China, took place Thursday in Macao, China. WBA/WBO flyweight champion Brian “hawaiian Punch” Viloria defends his unified titles against Juan Francisco Estrada in one of two world title bouts.

Estrada stated that he is ready and happy to be fighting in his true weight class. “They are already telling Viloria that he’s going to get the opportunity to fight Shiming and they are saying the next fight of Shiming is probably Viloria. I think the next fight for Shiming can be Estrada,” said the challenger.

Viloria responded, “I’m taking everything that Estrada is saying and I’m going to have to beg to differ. I trained really hard for this fight. I came a long way from fighting in a parking lot. A couple of years ago eveyone said I was done after my third loss, but after putting together all these wins against these great, tough Mexican fighters, thank God I stuck to the sport.”

Promoter Bob Arum stated, “Zou Shinming is in this weight category. These are the kind of fighters he’ll be fighting as he progresses up the ranks towards a world championship.”

* * *

Things heated up a bit during the comments of two-time WBO jr lightweight champion Roman “Rocky” Martinez and undefeated #1 contender Diego Magdaleno.

“That title is mine,” proclaimed Magdaleno. “It’s got my name written all over it. I’ve had my eye on it for awhile and now I have to go out there and get it…we’re bringing that title back home.”

Martinez returned fire. “If I came from Puerto Rico, which is a far place from here, it’s because I’m going to retain my title, so I just want to tell Diego don’t dream anymore about this title because it belongs to me and I’m going to bring it back to my country.”

As Martinez returned to his seat, Magdaleno informed him “Your dream is over!”

* * *

In the main event, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and three-time world amateur champion Zou Shiming makes his pro debut against Eleazar Valenzuela (2-1-2, 1 KO) in a four-round flyweight bout.

Promoter Bob Arum said, “People say ‘how can you have a main event only a four round fight?’ Well, you can if you have a participant in the main event like Zou Shiming with his incredible, incredible amateur record now turning professional. But you have to realize what the opponent is thinking. The opponent knows, to be honest, that he’s relatively obscure. But he’s in the ring and when that bell sounds for four rounds or however long the fight is, he can make his mark. He can change the lifestyle of his family. He can change his whole history if he wins, or even if he doesn’t but performs at a top level. So to a great extent, Saturday night will be a tremendous opportunity for Eleazar Valenzuela.”

The card will be televised in the USA on HBO2 at 2PM ET/11AM PT with broadcasting icons Tim Ryan, Larry Merchant and two-time heavyweight champion Big George Foreman working the telecast.

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/viloria-estrada-martinez-and-magdaleno-ready-for-war-184008

28 sept 2012 Rocky Martinez get his WBO belt 2

Por: Carlos Narvaez Rosario –

Entrenador asegura que ‘Rocky’ Martínez despachará a Diego Magdaleno antes del octavo asalto.

La racha de cerradas victorias de Román (Rocky) Martínez podría concluir el 6 de abril en Macao, China, cuando enfrente a Diego Magdaleno.

Al menos ese es el sentir del entrenador Raúl (Papo) Torres, quien no teme en entrar en pronósticos de nocaut.

Torres dijo ayer que de Martínez llevar el plan que hasta este momento han ensayado por las últimas semanas, podría despachar antes del octavo asalto a Magdaleno.

Martínez, campeón junior ligero de la Organización Mundial de Boxeo (OMB), defenderá por segunda ocasión la corona que obtuvo el pasado mes de septiembre cuando derrotó por decisión dividida a Miguel Beltrán, Jr.

En enero, Martínez retuvo su cetro mediante un empate con Juan Carlos Burgos.

El vegabajeño enfrentará a Magdaleno en la coestelar del evento que se llevará a cabo en el hotel Venetian Casino & Resort.

“A decir verdad, Román ha tenido una de las mejores preparaciones de su carrera”, reveló Torres. “Conocemos muy bien a Magdaleno y sabemos que es un zurdo incómodo y que se mueve bien. Nosotros hemos trabajado para contrarrestar todo eso y si todo sale bien, debemos estar terminando la pelea entre el asalto siete y ocho. Aquí se hizo el trabajo para sacar a Magdaleno por nocaut”.

Magdaleno, hermano mayor del peso gallo Jesse Magdaleno, está invicto en 23 combates, con nueve de ellos por la vía rápida. Será además su primera oportunidad de título mundial.

Martínez, que tiene récord de 26-1-2 y 16 nocauts, viene de una larga preparación en la que fue ayudado en los guanteos por el prospecto César Seda, Jr., un zurdo de buenos movimientos y pegada, que tiene marca de 24-1 y 17 KOs.

“Fue una gran preparación la que hicimos ayudados por ‘Junito’ Seda. Terminamos los guanteos la semana pasada y de verdad digo, que si Magdaleno viene a intercambiar golpes, la pelea será de nosotros. Vamos con un plan más inteligente que en otras peleas. Seda, Jr. es el peleador que más se asemeja a Magdaleno”, aseguró.

Martínez realizó un total de 80 asaltos de guanteo con Seda, Jr. Ayer salió del gimnasio en 135 libras, cinco por encima del límite.

Martínez, único campeón puertorriqueño al momento, viajará el lunes para China acompañado de su grupo de trabajo. Esta semana las cargas han bajado.

“Estamos en recuperación con calentamientos livianos. Román se ve muy bien y yo estoy muy confiado del trabajo que se ha hecho”, apuntó.

http://www.vocero.com/pronostico-de-ko/