15 years ago today: Brian Costales "Hawaiian Punch" Viloria vs. Omar Niño "Giant Killer" Romero I

Round 7

Viloria is having spurts of momentary success darting in with left hooks, but Romero is countering with body shots in multiples. Quality versus quantity. Romero's jabs downstairs are being stuffed with Viloria's descending crossed forearms, and he clubs a right against the side of Romero's neck as they clash in the center of the ring.

10-9 Viloria, super close

68-65 Romero

 

Stats in the seventh:
Viloria 11 of 34, 32%
Romero 36 of 76, 47%

Commentators were split on the round; the one that gave it to Viloria concedes that Romero landed a lot more but he preferred the quality of Viloria's work and is sticking to his guns on that.

 

Round 8

Viloria is getting roughed up now, Romero no longer bothering too much with the pretense of waiting for spots or pecking his way in with the long jab from outside. Romero just bulling up against Viloria, pumping out body shots and then winging big hooks upstairs. Viloria hopping in place, keeping up the peekaboo, still offensively constipated even as he backs Romero across the ring in the closing moments.

10-9 Romero

78-74 Romero

 

Stats through eight:

Viloria 65 of 194, 34%
Romero 123 of 340, 36%

 

Oh wow, Bob Papa presages the arrival of live online fan at-home score-along by well over a decade (think it was ESPN or Showtime that eventually ushered it in?) just musing that it would be interesting to see if any armchair judges had given Viloria a single round since the 1st.

 

Round 9

Viloria is getting poked in the belly with jabs, then shoved backward via Heisman-pose left arm pushes from Romero, then clanged above the hip with hooks with either fist. Viloria just rolling one glove over the other, pumping himself up but never really committing, landing the occasional lone blast with a counter right but not following up or stepping toward Romero even after connecting flush.

10-9 Romero

88-83 Romero

 

Round 10

Viloria is still getting outworked, Romero thrusting his lead toe disrespectfully in between Viloria's legs and slicing upward at his face with both hands, then pulling out and resetting briefly only to boomerang in again with the same thing except fanning the stomach of Viloria. Standalone counter jabs and 1-2s from Viloria, his aim just not there - nor is his usual hand speed.

10-9 Romero

98-92 Romero

 

Jab stats after ten rounds:
Viloria 6 of 54, 11%
Romero 48 of 219, 22%

Wow. Outlanded by 8:1 in jabs, and throwing only half a dozen more than your opponent has landed. Yeah, safe to say Brian has been decisively out-fenced in the jab dep't.

 

Round 11

Viloria is starting to rev his motor up a little, finally, stepping in behind a jab but still not finding the accuracy with it, although he is hooking off it and clipping Romero's chin, and bashing him across the pate with some overhand rights. Some clever movement and jabs on the outside by Romero after getting the worst of things in the middle of the ring for a stretch.

10-9 Viloria

107-102 Romero

 

Freddie Roach tells Viloria he absolutely needs to "put this guy on the deck" to salvage his title/zero/career - and even that might not do it. He wants Viloria to deck him at least once, but shoot for a walkoff KO.

 

Round 12

Viloria is continuing his pressure from round eleven, collecting Romero's jabs on the pinky side of his gloves, bunched together over his face as he marches forward, taking big swings at the head of Romero with his right. Viloria is picking off all of Romero's jabs and throwing a sharp counter 1-2, just missing with it as Romero skitters away. Viloria cuts the ring off and doubles up a left hook to body and head as Romero dives in throwing his own combo deflected off Viloria's arms. Romero ducks a 1-2 and continues to retreat. The next Viloria connects on the body.

10-9 Viloria

116-112 Romero

 

Final stats:

Viloria 113 of 398, 28%
Romero 245 of 778, 31%

 

Pretty huge upset, and bizarre that Viloria had such a dramatic response to Romero's power after just one round and gave him such a wider berth thereafter, terrified of being countered, considering that Omar Niño was never really a murderous puncher.

 

Official cards:

Mark Green 117-112
Adelaide Byrd 118-110
Chuck Giampa 117-111

UD for Romero


Fan scorecard aggregator website EOTR agreed with Giampa's score, giving Viloria just the 1st and the championship rounds 11&12.