Former World Boxing Council (WBC) lightflyweight champion Brian Viloria is a man on a mission and his manager Gary Gittelsohn told The STAR the other day the fighter from Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, will see action every six to eight weeks until he earns a crack at a second title.
?I am committed to keep Brian active,? said Gittelsohn in an e-mail from Los Angeles. ?I intend to keep Brian in the gym and have him in another contest in late March or early April. We believe there?s no developmental substitute for in-ring activity.?
Since losing a majority decision to Edgar Sosa in a bid to regain the WBC 108-pound crown in San Antonio last April, Viloria has won twice in a row, outpointing Jose Garcia Bernal and Cesar Lopez.
The decision over Lopez was particularly impressive in Las Vegas two weeks ago. Viloria dropped Lopez, a durable gladiator who had never before been floored, in the fifth and breezed to a convincing victory.
?Brian turned in an excellent performance against Lopez,? continued Gittelsohn. ?Most pleasing to me was the dramatic improvement Brian has made since he decided to re-commit himself to boxing and capture a second world title.?
After the Sosa bout, Viloria started training under former IBF superfeatherweight titlist Roberto Garcia at the La Colonia Gym in Oxnard, California. He was previously trained by Freddie Roach and Joe Goosen.
Gittelsohn said he is satisfied that Viloria is in a conducive environment for boxing at the La Colonia Gym and getting individual attention from Garcia. The arrangement has Viloria?s father Ben?s blessing, added Gittelsohn.
?Garcia trains a number of top contenders and was the trainer of former five-time world champion Johnny Tapia,? said Gittelsohn. ?La Colonia is the same gym that developed Fernando Vargas. Some of Garcia?s hot prospects are Jose Aguiniga, Rolando Reyes, Victor Ortiz, Brandon Rios and Miguel Angel Garcia, his younger brother. Assisting Garcia in Brian?s corner are his father Eduardo, Dr. Roger Anderson and Ruben Gomez.?
Gittelsohn said Viloria is now campaigning in the 112-pound division but a fight against IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. is not in the works.
?I anticipate Brian will be positioned for a world title opportunity by the end of the year,? said Gittelsohn. ?Because of the fluid nature of boxing, we are not targeting anyone in particular. Instead, we are concentrating solely on Brian?s complete development as a fighter. By so doing, we feel confident that whomever Brian faces for a world title, he will emerge victorious.?
As for Donaire, Gittelsohn said there is no discussion on a possible bout. ?If Donaire remains the flyweight champion, it is a fight we would welcome,? he went on. ?There is history between Brian and the Donaire brothers. They were all elite amateurs and Brian defeated both brothers to earn an Olympic berth in the 2000 Sydney Games.?
In Viloria?s last two fights, Gittelsohn said he was impressed with his work off the jab and blistering combinations.
?Brian showed world-class skills and aggressiveness,? he said. ?Against Lopez, he was in the best shape of his life. After the fight, Lopez admitted he never faced anyone as good as Brian and that once he felt his power, he realized he couldn?t stay in the pocket and trade punches.?
Viloria is still unmarried but enjoys a happy relationship with a Filipina girl from Hawaii who lives in Los Angeles. Her family is from Ilocos Sur like Viloria?s. ?They?re very happy and supportive of each other,? said Gittelsohn.
?I want to stress that Brian is serious about boxing and capturing another world title in a second weight class. I see the sacrifices Brian makes and get daily reports about his renewed intensity in the gym. Personally, I am profoundly proud of Brian and I know he will justify the faith his fans continue to have in him.?
Viloria turned pro in 2001 and knocked out Eric Ortiz in one round to wrest the WBC lightflyweight crown in Los Angeles four years later. He repulsed challenger Jose Antonio Aguirre then lost the title to Omar Ni?o Romero in his second defense in 2006. In a rematch, Romero retained the championship on a disputed majority draw that was later ruled a no-contest after the Mexican tested positive for illegal drugs. The throne was declared vacant with Viloria and Sosa picked to dispute it.
Viloria?s record is 21-2, with 12 KOs. He gained local celebrity status after stopping Ortiz for the WBC crown in the undercard of a Manny Pacquiao bout in Los Angeles in 2005. The win brought him widespread acclaim in the Philippines where he grew up as a boy after he was born in Hawaii.
