LAS VEGAS — Gary Gittelsohn has big plans for World Boxing Council (WBC) lightflyweight champion Brian Viloria.
Shortly after Viloria repulsed Mexican challenger Jose Antonio Aguirre in the first defense of his crown here Saturday night (Sunday morning, Manila), Gittelsohn said there could be at least two more fights in the calendar for the fighter this year.
One option is to defend the title in Puerto Rico in May or June. Viloria could be on the same card as World Boxing Organization (WBO) minimumweight titlist Ivan (Iron Boy) Calderon who easily outpointed Isaac Bustos of Mexico in his eighth championship defense in the bout before Viloria’ s win over Aguirre.
Gittelsohn, a lawyer who has managed Viloria since he turned pro, said the fight would showcase the Hawaiian-born Filipino as a future opponent for Calderon.
“There’s a lot of interest in a Viloria-Calderon fight,” said Gittelsohn. “Calderon is looking to move up to the lightflyweight division. They’re both Sydney Olympians and unbeaten. In four amateur fights, Viloria beat Calderon thrice. So they know each other enough to start a rivalry.”
If the Puerto Rico fight does not materialize, Gittelsohn said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is offering a slot in the undercard of a Miguel Cotto main event at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 10.
Gittelsohn said he also plans to stage a Viloria defense in Manila, possibly in October.
Down the road lies a potential megabuck duel with WBC interim flyweight champion Jorge (Travieso) Arce of Mexico.
Arum said he envisions a Viloria-Arce trilogy like the series between Michael Carbajal and Humberto (Chiquita) Gonzalez. But both fighters’ plates are full. Arum said it’ s a fight that will eventually happen.
“Arce is a great fighter and a guy a lot of people respect as a champion,” said Viloria. “Anyone who knows boxing knows that that would be an unbelievable fight. That’ s the kind of fight I want to be in. It’ s the kind of fight I have to be in.”
Arce was at ringside to watch Viloria and said he’ s ready to rumble anytime, anywhere.
“I’ll fight Viloria in his backyard if he wants,” said Arce. “I’ll go to the Philippines if I have to provided the money is right. Boxing is my profession and I like money. Show me the money and I’ll fight Viloria in his house even with his relatives as judges. He can’ t beat me. The judges won’ t be able to save him because I’ll knock him out. Viloria’s strong but I’m stronger. Nobody can beat me now. This is my time. I’m the world’ s best pound-for-pound fighter.”
Arce, as flamboyant as ever, even challenged people’ s champion Manny Pacquiao, who was at ringside on the TV commentary panel for the Viloria-Aguirre bout–to a fight, jokingly, of course, because their weight divisions are 18 pounds apart.
Arce said he has beaten two Filipinos so far, Juanito Rubillar twice and Jovan Presbiterio.
“I respect Filipino fighters because they always come to fight,” said Arce. “I respect Pacquiao a lot. My next fight is against Rosendo Alvarez who’s too old. I’ll knock him out easily. Then, I’ m open to fight anybody, including Viloria.”
Gittelsohn said Viloria matured a lot by fighting Aguirre whom he described as a seasoned veteran.
“Brian had never fought anyone quite as experienced with nearly 40 fights,” said Gittelsohn. “He’s just going to get better and better after every fight.”
Gittelsohn said Viloria will visit Manila probably late this month.
“Brian is thinking of flying to Japan to be at ringside for his friend Jose Navarro’s fight against WBC superflyweight champion Masamori Tokuyama on Feb. 27,” said Gittelsohn. “He’ s been invited by the Hondas to be there. But whether or not he goes to Japan, Brian has his heart set in returning home.”
Viloria said one of his goals is to pump up public interest in the lower weight divisions.
“I’ m the type of guy who likes to push forward and to make the fight and to please the crowd,” said Viloria, quoted by Kevin Iole of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “It’s important for the guys in our weight division to look like that, to fight that way, in order to gain recognition. People love the heavyweights and so do I but I have to tell you that there are a lot of guys who are great fighters who are not heavyweights. You don’t have to be a heavyweight to put on a great fight.”
Viloria proved it by beating Aguirre.
