Viloria has high hopes for Zou

MANILA, Philippines - It will be three-time Olympian Zou Shiming, not WBO/WBA flyweight champion Brian Viloria, headlining a blockbuster card called “Fists of Gold” at the 15,000-seat CotaiArena of the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Macau this Saturday but the Hawaiian Punch doesn’t mind yielding the spotlight to the debuting Chinese star.

Zou, 22, takes on Mexico’s Eleazar Valenzuela in the four-round main event with a capacity crowd expected to witness Top Rank’s initial promotion in the former Portuguese colony. Zou took the bronze in 2004 and the gold in 2008 and 2012 en route to compiling a 12-1 record in three Olympics as a lightflyweight. He also captured the gold at the AIBA World Championships in 2005 and 2007.

Valenzuela has a 2-1-2 record, with a single KO, and should be cannon fodder for Zou whose list of amateur victims includes Filipino Harry Tañamor twice and Ireland’s Paddy Barnes thrice. Freddie Roach will be in Zou’s corner for the bout against Valenzuela.

“Freddie has been training Zou who speaks little English,” Viloria told The STAR in an e-mail. “An interpreter is always with him and conveys his message through when we communicate. We’ve become very close because of our training sessions together as well as the sparring. Zou is very down-to-earth and friendly. We joke around a lot and I try my best with making him feel comfortable staying in the US as much as possible.”

Viloria and Zou trained at Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles for their Macau assignments. Roach’s assistant Marvin Somodio is assigned to take care of Viloria and will be in his corner for the defense against Mexico’s Juan Francisco Estrada on Saturday. Also in Viloria’s corner will be long-time chief second and cutman Ruben Gomez.

“Zou has a very good chance of going far in the pros if he makes the appropriate adjustments from the amateur style of boxing to the pro style,” said Viloria who competed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Viloria, Zou, Roach and Somodio arrived in Macau last Friday. At ringside for the card will be Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, WBO president Paco Valcarcel and WBO ratings chairman Luis Perez.

Viloria, 32, is 10 years older than Estrada but considers age an advantage, not a liability, because of the experience factor. Estrada was only 11 years old when Viloria turned pro in 2001. Viloria has figured in 35 fights compared to Estrada’s 24. “I see Estrada as a pressure fighter,” said Viloria. “I need to fight him smart and fight my fight. He’s a toe-to-toe fighter. I just need to keep focused and approach each fight the best way I can. Be prepared and stay determined and everything else will follow behind it.”

Although he’s not looking beyond Estrada, Viloria said he’s ready to face anyone who’ll come forward. He’s not in a hurry to invade the superflyweight division but it’s an option for the future.

“I’m very comfortable at 112 right now,” said Viloria. “As time goes by, we’ll see if moving up will be something we can look at.” As for future opponents, Viloria mentioned unbeaten WBA lightflyweight champion Roman (Chocolatito) Gonzalez of Nicaragua and WBC flyweight titlist Toshiyuki Igarashi of Japan or “whoever is willing to step up to the plate.”

Gonzalez, 25, boasts a 34-0 record, with 28 KOs. He was a WBA minimumweight champion before annexing the lightflyweight crown. One of Gonzalez’ victims was Filipino Eriberto (Yukka) Gejon who capitulated in a single round in Tokyo in 2007. Last November, Gonzalez outpointed Estrada who is challenging Viloria on Saturday. Igarashi, 29, stakes his WBC throne against countryman Akira Yaegashi in Tokyo on Monday and has a 17-1-1 record, with 10 KOs. He wrested the WBC crown from Filipino Sonny Boy Jaro on a split 12-round verdict last July. Igarashi was a 2004 Olympian.

Viloria said Estrada is a typical Mexican warrior who fights like Hernan (Tyson) Marquez and Giovani Segura. That means Viloria must be prepared for a battle of attrition. Viloria said the bout that has so far defined his career was his 10th round stoppage of Marquez last November. Marquez was down in the first, fifth and 10th rounds but gave Viloria more than he could handle.

“I think the Marquez fight was career-defining,” said Viloria. “Moments when people thought I was done in the fifth round, I fought through it and came back stronger. That fight basically summed up the roller-coaster career I’ve had.” In that round, Viloria appeared to be on the way down after Marquez launched a furious attack then he suddenly recovered to deck the Mexican in a gutsy comeback.