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TRAINER RUBEN GOMEZ PREDICTS VILORIA WILL KICK ASS


PhilBoxing.com




Former two-time world light flyweight champion Brian Viloria?s trainer Ruben Gomez has predicted that Viloria will ?kick butt? when he faces Omar Soto of Mexico in the ?Boxing at the Bay? series of Solar Sports at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig City on Saturday.

Viloria who has a record of 26-3 with 15 knockouts is coming of a stunning 12th round TKO when he lost his IBF title to Colombia?s Carlos Tamara last January 23 when he faded badly in the last couple of rounds, collapsed in his dressing room and had to be rushed to hospital.

Both Viloria and his fianc?e Erika Navarro who is a nurse have blamed Brian?s having to reduce to make the 108 pound limit for his total exhaustion in the championship rounds and said that fighting at a far more comfortable flyweight limit he is much stronger both physically and mentally.

Viloria?s new head trainer Ruben Gomez who took over after Robert Garcia left the training camp some three weeks ago due to a somewhat bitter difference with Viloria?s manager Gary Gittelsohn which is something Viloria doesn?t wish to talk about said he was ?very fortunate and very lucky to have someone of the caliber of Brian Viloria because I believe the fighter makes the trainer, not the other way around.?

Gomez said the entry of former super middleweight champion Frankie Liles has made things even better since Viloria and Liles are both very accomplished fighters and hit it off immediately.

Gomez promised ?you are not going to see a new Brian Viloria, you will see the old Brian Viloria ? the one that comes over and kicks ass.?

Liles noted that if Viloria ?fights like he trains then there?ll be no problem.?

Viloria himself told us he is in ?tremendous condition? and had been training for 13 weeks because he stressed ?I don?t want what happened in the last fight to happen again. I have prepared myself mentally and physically better than I did for the last fight and hopefully everything goes rights, I win this fight against Soto and another world title fight will materialize.?


Viloria?s fianc?e Erik told us she is confident Brian will do well in this fight. I think he looks better at 112. I think he looks a lot stronger, a lot healthier and a lot more comfortable at this weight.?

She said she was worried and nervous before the Tamara fight because struggling to make the 108 pound limit was ?difficult on him and it took a toll on his body not only physically not mentally because he had to think about losing those extra two or three pounds.?

Reminded that both she and Brian as well as many friends and fights fans were distraught to see him rushed to hospital after the Tamara fight including some who said Viloria should retire, Erika revealed that when they returned to Los Angeles they ?sat down with Brian but ultimately the decision was up to Brian. I told him it was not a matter of losing, it?s the way you pick yourself up after a defeat and if this is something that you really want we?ll take a look at what the next step is for you.?

Viloria?s fianc?e disclosed that in a one-on-one talk with Brian she told him ?as much as I don?t want to see what happened to you the last time happen again, if you continue boxing I?ll support you 110 percent. I?ll be there every step of the way and if this is something that you want, go ahead and get it.?

The 30 year old Soto who has a record of 19-6-2 with 13 knockouts last fought on May 1 when he drew with Juan Kantuan in a six round bout where all three judges scored it 57-57. Kantuan was an accomplished fighter with a record of 14-1-1 with 11 knockouts. In his previous fight Soto scored a 2nd round TKO over Cristian Estrada in a scheduled ten round bout. He also for veteran Omar Andres Narvaez for the WBO flyweight title in June last year and lost by an 11th round knockout.

The soft-spoken Soto also fought for the vacant IBO flyweight title on September 18, 2009 but lost by an 8th round TKO to undefeated Cesar Seda who had an impressive record of 16-0 with 13 knockouts.

Soto didn?t say much except that he had trained well, is ready and hopes to win and improve his chances of getting another world title shot.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.


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