By Tino Villela – The light flyweight division right now is shaping up to be one of the hottest division’s in boxing today. 108 pound division is loaded with talented fighters that come from all different time zone and regions of the world. The “Big” three of the weight class are Ivan Calderon from Puerto Rico, Brain Viloria out of the United States and Edgar Sosa out of Mexico.. A lot of these boxers are opening bouts on pay per view shows or off TV fights on under cards of mega fights. A good prectengce of the time these bouts turn to outclass main event fights and leaving fight fans with a great deal of respect for the little men of the sport.
Ivan Calderon know as “Iron Boy” carries an impresses record of 32 bouts and 0 loses. Calderon has been in the pound for pound discussion for years now and has proven year in and year out that his boxing skills are just as magical as the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr and Juan Manuel Marquez. Calderon hasn’t been as active lately with his last fight in August of last year coming in a rematch against the hard hitting Hugo Cazares from Mexico. The Iron Boy Calderon will be the co main event in next months HBO’s telecast on June 13th headlined by fellow country men Miguel Cotto. Calderon’s opponent is a tough Filipino named Rodel Mayol who has 19th of his 25 victories by way of knockout. Mayol whose been doing his running with “pac man” the world famous jack Russell terrier who was showed with Manny Pacaquio during the 24/7 series on HBO, has stated this could be his last shot at a world title and will certainly come out giving it his all against the slick Calderon. This match up should turn out to be an other in the great battles between the classic boxer verses puncher.
The Hawaii Punch, Brain Viloria is coming off the biggest win of his career in the Philippines with a brutal 11th round stoppage of former 108 flyweight kingpin Ulises Archie Solis in a fight many boxing purist are putting in the mix and discussion of fight of the year. Viloria is riding a six fight win streak and has rejuvated his boxing career in joining forces with trainer and former world champion Roberto Garcia of la coloina boxing club from Oxnard California. Roberto Garcia is getting more recognize worldwide with his work with Viloria. The Hawaii punch stated that Garcia has brought back the come forward punching style that has made him a fan friendly fighter with his one punch power. With the big rivaling in boxing right now between Mexico and Philippines the combo of Garcia of Mexican blood and Viloira of philippen blood together make somewhat of a odd looking team. The Hawaii punch answer went asked about this “The race and color of a person does not matter in this sport. Should not matter in any sport. The skills are what’s important, the relationship between fighter and trainer. The understanding between the two, and the respect. That’s what I have for him. Roberto’s Mexican Blood, My Filipino blood, We’ll both bleed red in the ring. He just helps me so that does not happen.” Then he finished with “by the way…we’re both American Citizens lol.” A true and honest answer from The Hawaii Punch. Viloria has showed tremdous heart and skill in his bouts with Edgar Sosa, Omar Nino and Ulises Solis. A huge show down with Calderon from Puerto Rico could come into fruition later this year as both fighters are Top Rank fighters. Brain Viloria who was born and raised in Hawaii is of Filipino blood and right now the in boxing game the boricuas are licking there chops to make the new great boxing rivaling with Puerto Rico versus the Philippines. Viloria last defeated came back in 2007 to the hands of Edgar Sosa, in the Alamo dome in San Antonio Texas. Sosa got the win by majority decision in a highly completive and close fight.
Edgar Sosa could be the hottest fighter of this weight division but many boxing fans and media could probably care less because most of his wins since getting by Viloira have been in Mexico. Sosa had to rethink his career after starting off with 5 loses in his first 17 bouts. On paper that looked like he was on his way to just becoming a other tough Mexican jouryman type of fighter. Two of those loses were to Ulises Solis and a other lose was to Manuel Vargas who right now owns a solid record with 26 wins. Sosa is riding a 23 fight win streak with 12 of those wins by knockout. After the win over Viloria which was for the vacant WBC belt that was held by Omar Nino which was striped after failing a drug test in a bout with Brain Viloria.
Sosa is proving to be one of the hardest working fighters in the sport today with eight title defenses since winning the WBC back in April 2006. In June Sosa is set to try to make his nine defense of his belt in Vera Cruz, Mexico. Wearing his hard hat and lunch box with him Sosa is proving he’s a working man type of champion. With fighters now a days only fighting once a year or picking and choosing who they want to fight, right now with the hard times in the world Sosa should be spotlighted more to show what real boxers are made of. Most of his fights being in Mexico an’t going to help this cause, Sosa and his team need to jump across the border and start Champaign on USA soil soon or not he will just become a other champion who only fights on his “home turf”. Mexico and Mexican America fight fans are always looking and craving for new warrior to follow, weather it be Sal Alvarez, J.C. Chavez Jr. or Alfredo Angulo to become the new warrior from Mexico. Sosa has been proving it in the ring and should be getting the respect from fight fans and with more future show downs, which could come in a rematch with Brain “The Hawaii Punch” Viloria and against “The Iron Boy” Ivan Calderon these light flyweights need more of the spotlight on them.