By Rey Danseco
REIGNING World Boxing Council (WBC) light flyweight champion Brian “Pinoy Punch” Viloria arrived for two-week vacation in his native Philippines on Tuesday afternoon, from Japan to share his recent big win with fellow Filipinos, particularly in Ilocos Sur province.
The 25-year old Filipino flew in with his father, Ben and several companions via Thai Airways flight TG 621 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Viloria proudly draped his gold and green WBC belt with well wishers as print and television reporters greeted him. He was wearing a polo-shirt, checkered hat and his right hand is wrapped to protect the broken fourth metacarpal that he got in the second or third round in his title defense two weeks ago.
Viloria defended his crown for the first time against ex-world champ Jose Antonio Aguirre of Mexico with a hard-earned unanimous decision victory in Las Vegas.
“I’m happy that I got to win a fight like that,” said Viloria, who is expected to be out for 2-3 weeks after that fight.
Viloria captured the crown from erstwhile titlist and another Mexican Eric Ortiz with a first round knockout win on Sept. 10 in Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Viloria is the Philippines' 35th world boxing champion since Negros Occidental’s Francisco “Pancho Villa” Guilledo captured the world flyweight title with knocked out win over reigning champion Jimmy Wilde of England in the 7th round at New York's Polo Grounds on May 18, 1923.
Viloria has duplicated Paranaque-trained Rolando Pascua’s feat in taking the WBC 108-lb title with sixth round knocked out of Mexico's Humberto "Chiquita" Gonzalez on Dec 19, 1990.
Viloria was in attendance in the failed second attempt of his fellow Olympian Jose Navarro at a world title against North Korean Masamori Tokuyama for the WBC super flyweight crown on Monday in Osaka.
Tokuyama retained the belt with unanimous decision win. The English and Italian judges scored it 116-113, while a Belgian judge counted it 117-113 all in favor of the 31-year old champion.
Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, who watched Viloria’s title defense at ringside, plans to meet the Narvacan-native Viloria to celebrate his victory, duplicating the fiesta-like party with motorcade in the streets of Vigan City and Narvacan when he won the WBC throne.
