TWO days after being dethroned by a non-titled Colombian fighter, Brian Viloria is still mum on his future plans amidst calls for him not to hang up his gloves.
Viloria’s camp, including manager Gary Gittelson and trainer Robert Garcia, could not detail for now the future of the former International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-flyweight champion as he tries to recover from a stunning loss to 20-year-old Carlos “El Olimpico” Tamara.
“We haven’t talk about that yet,” said Gittelson in a radio interview.
Viloria surrendered his IBF title to Tamara by way of a 12th round technical knockout in the main event of "Boxing at the Bay: Collision Course” held last Saturday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
After that fight, the exhausted Viloria was rushed to a nearby hospital as he felt some chest pains and collapsed inside the dugout. He also suffered a three-centimeter cut on his left eyebrow and bruises.
Meanwhile, a separate report quoted Games and Amusements Board (GAB) chairman Eric Buhain as saying that the 29-year-old former 2000 Sydney Olympian should not retire from boxing just yet.
“No, not now. He still has a lot more to give," Buhain said.
Even the referee who officiated his latest fight believes that Viloria should not call it quits.
“I don’t think it’s the end of the road for Brian although it’s his decision whether or not to go on fighting,” said New Zealand referee Bruce McTavish in an interview with sports analyst Quinito Henson.
“If he decides to come back, it’ll be a more a mental struggle than anything else. But he’s a tough kid. If he wants to, Brian can come back and fight again. He lost his stamina against Tamara. It wasn’t like he was knocked out of his feet,” he added.
During a press conference Friday with Cebu journalists, Viloria said he would still continue to fight at the 108-pound division, a weight he has maintained for 15 years.
“Yes, I am still comfortable but I would also like to challenge flyweight champ Koki Kameda of Japan,” said Viloria.
The undefeated Kameda (22-0, 14 KO) is a 23-year-old boxer from Osaka, Japan who currently holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title.
Viloria also hinted that going to television broadcasting is among his options after boxing since he’s a broadcasting major.
“After Saturday, that’s the only time that I will know my future,” said the Hawaiian Punch.
Stable but has to stay
Doctors attending Viloria at the Makati Medical Center have said that Viloria is out of danger but advised him to remain on the hospital for at least two more days.
Neurologist Dr. Regina Makalintal-Canlas said tests conducted on the former two-time boxing champion yielded negative results, including the CT scans. She added that Viloria is conscious and is already talking.
“I have to say, I am really impressed with the Makati Medical Center,” said Gittelson of the premier medical facility.
Gittelson said Viloria would stay in Manila for another week and “go back to the hospital for a final checkup to make sure that he’s cleared to fly” before leaving for the United States.
He added that Viloria’s girlfriend and family had suggested that he keep his return flight back to the United States instead of staying behind in Manila “because they feel he is out of the woods, so I may do that but if not I may spend one more day here.”
Viloria suffered one of his worst losses on his 29 fights as a pro when he surrendered to Tamara last Saturday on the 12-round IBF crown bout.
The end came with 1:45 left in the final round when the referee stopped the fight after Tamara hit the exhausted Viloria with solid combinations, including 14 unanswered punches from the Colombian.
The Filipino boxer was a no-show during the post-fight press conference and was first rushed to the San Juan De Dios Hospital, which is near the Cuneta Astrodome, for a routine check-up. He was later transferred to the Makati Medical Center in Makati City. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)