Los Angeles — It is not an uncommon story in our sport: the down trodden boxer trying to regain his brilliant luster after suffering a series of tough defeats. Friday night at the Alameda Indoor Swap Meet in Los Angeles, Brian Viloria (19-2, 12 KOs) returns to the ring after a nearly nine month lay-off, following a split decision defeat against Edgar Sosa.; a bout where Viloria lost his WBC light flyweight championship.
One loss did not send Viloria reeling into the boxing scrap yard, it was the accumulation of a miserable eight month run. Going into his August, 2006 fight with Omar Ni?o, Viloria was one of the hottest junior flyweights in the world, laying a path of destruction with his formidable punching power.
The future was bright for Viloria and there were murmurings of a then white hot battle with fellow Top Rank Promotions stable mate Jorge Arce.
?The Hawaiian Punch? tasted his first defeat against Ni?o. Omar took all Viloria could handle and gave back just as much, if not more during a twelve round unanimous decision victory. At times during the bout, it seems as if Viloria would lose focus and do very little to execute his usually formidable offense.
Not one to back away from a challenge, Viloria went immediately back into a rematch with Ni?o three months later. To Brian’s disappointment, the rematch’s result was the same as the first go around. Ni?o outworked a spotty Viloria over the split decision.
Following the fight, it was discovered that Nino had a banned drug in his system and the bout was ruled a no-contest by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Viloria caught a break and was programmed to fight Edgar Sosa four months later.
Any man can be another’s boxing kryptonite. Maybe Ni?o happened to be the fighter that would give Viloria fits 99 out of 100 times. The potentially exciting Viloria was given a pass by most of the boxing world, as they looked closely towards his bout with Sosa.
Viloria lost his battle with Sosa. During the contest he suffered from the same in ring melancholy displayed in the two battles with Ni?o, as his offense would go into hiding several rounds at a time.
Following the fight, it was unclear if Viloria would return to a brutal sport that requires the utmost dedication and rigorous lifestyle for most participants to succeed and attain a world championship.
?After the fight with Sosa,? said Viloria, ?I took some time to think about life. I contemplated what I wanted to do with myself. But after a bit, I missed boxing and I wanted to get back in the ring. I contacted my manager and asked him to get me a fight.?
Viloria’s return fight will not be in a Las Vegas casino or serving as support to a major Top Rank promoted pay per view event. He will find himself in two unlikely places, an indoor swap meet near the Watts section of Los Angeles and televised on a Spanish-language Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo card. To make the return that much more humble, Viloria’s fight will not even serve as the evening’s main event.
Nobody said that the glorious rise from the ashes would be a glamorous task.
During his downward spiral in the ring, Viloria played musical chairs with a series of trainers after leaving Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. Eventually Viloria found himself in Oxnard, California with trainer Roberto Garcia.
His new training digs in Oxnard has forced Viloria to focus on boxing and only boxing.
?It was a big change,? shared Viloria. ?When I got here to train with Roberto, I did not know anyone. I was just running in the mornings, training, and working on technical aspects that I have not touched upon in years.?
Though his return bout against Jose Garcia Bernal (27-9-1, 18 KOs) is at a contracted weight limit of 115 pounds, Viloria looks to fight often during 2008 as he pushes for a championship at 112 pounds. Though Viloria is an ex-champion at 108, his body has matured into a higher weight class.
?Of course, like any fighter, my goal is to win a championship in 2008,? said Viloria. ?I think a fight with Nonito Donaire would be interesting, as we have a bit of history dating back to the amateurs.?
Viloria refers to a match during the 2000 United States Olympic Boxing Trials between himself and Donaire. Brian won the final light flyweight bout against Donaire and a semi-final against brother Glenn Donaire. The final victory against Nonito was appealed by Team Donaire.
Since Nonito’s huge upset of Vic Darchinyan during 2007, there has been speculation about a battle between Donaire and Viloria since both men are both of Filipino decent.
A fight with Donaire is neither here, nor there at the this point in time.
First Viloria must work his way back into the psyche of the boxing public with a few decisive and impressive victories. The sort of violent conquest Viloria put on Eric Ortiz on September, 2005. Only then will a bout with Donaire, or anyone else worthwhile, become a realistic possibility for Viloria.
The road to redemption begins on Friday night.
Ticket prices are $75, $50, and $25. More information is available by calling (323) 732-2717. The action will be televised on Telefutura at 8 PM with light welterweight prospect Michel Rosales in the main event against Dairo Esalas (30-10, 24 KOs)
