A FILIPINO taking on a fellow Filipino in a world boxing title fight? Sounds unlikely but yesterday, it entered the realm of the possible.
Brian Viloria has made the scenario possible after stating that he’s ready to defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) light-flyweight crown against No. 1 ranked contender Juanito Rubillar.
“I’m ready for him (Rubillar). That’s what we do as a fighter,” the 25-year-old fighter dubbed the ‘Hawaiian Punch’ declared during the SCOOP sa Kamayan yesterday.
WBC President Jose Sulaiman has endorsed Rubillar’s challenge to Viloria’s 108 lbs. title after the top contender’s manager, Bebot Elorde, offered to stage the fight at the Elorde Sports Complex in Para?aque, with the champion set to receive a prized purse of 0,000.
Sulaiman has given a one-month period (March 6 – April 7) for both camps to negotiate the title bout.
Viloria’s manager Gary Gittelsohn already received a letter regarding the matter from the WBC, although the champion said his handlers haven’t tell anything yet about his next fight.
“I still don’t know who I’m going to fight. I leave all that to my management and promotion to take care of. My job is to prepare myself against anybody, anytime, anywhere,” said Viloria, who was accompanied by his father Ben in the ACCEL-sponsored session.
Viloria, who traces his roots in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision win over Jose Antonio Aguirre last Feb. 18 at the Aladdin Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
The 2000 Sydney Olympian broke his right hand during the course of the fight, an injury that may take three weeks to heal.
The cast was removed the other day but he was told by his doctors that he can’t practice for another month using his hand.
“Right now, all I can do is to run around and stay fit,” he said.
The injury may force Viloria to fight Rubillar at a much later date than the May 6 schedule Elorde has set for their title tiff.
But Gittelsohn had been informed by Viloria’s promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank that the champion has been reserved a slot in the coming World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight championship match between Miguel Cotto and Paul Malignaggi at the Madison Square Garden in June.
Arum appears to be planning to have Viloria take on International Boxing Federation (IBF) lightflyweight champ Ulises Solis of Mexico.
Viloria, owner of 19 wins including 12 knockouts, won the WBC title with a single round demolition of Mexican Eric Ortiz in Los Angeles, California last year.
