Friday, January 04, 2008 Viloria fights journeyman
AFTER a nine-month rest away from the ring former World Boxing Council light flyweight champion Brian “Hawaiian Punch” Viloria will be back in action at the Alameda Swap Meet in Los Angeles as he faces the 37-year-old Columbian Jose Garcia Bernal on Jan 4.
Viloria (19-2, 12 KOs) will fight Bernal at the 112-pound division, a higher weight from his previous 108-pound fight against Edgar Sosa for the vacant WBC title.
According to boxrec.com, Bernal is 27-9 and has lost three of his last four fights.
After contemplating about his career in the nine-month span that he was away from boxing, the Hawaiian Punch decided to be back in the ring and do what he loves.
“After the fight with Sosa. 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 told boxingconfidential.com, “
Viloria has changed from stable to stable after leaving Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym and finally landed at Oxnard, California with Roberto Garcia.
“It was a big change. 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,” said Viloria.
Viloria is aiming for a championship this year and is thinking of a title shot against IBF/IBO flyweight title holder Nonito Donaire, whom he fought in the 2000 United States Olympic Boxing Trials. In that trials, Viloria beat Nonito and his brother Glen. (EKA)
