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Viloria will be victorious once again. JAT 
Viloria ready for title defense vs Mexican
By Beth Celis
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:01:00 08/04/2009
SOME YEARS AGO, Filipino-American boxer Brian Viloria knocked out a Mexican fighter in the first round to earn his very first world title and the admiration of the Filipino nation.
From there, everyone expected the Hawaii-born boxer's career to soar, and maybe even follow the path of superstar Manny Pacquiao.
It didn't. As it turned out, Brian's career went through a maze of ups and downs and it was only in April, here in Manila, that he regained the respect of the boxing community by defeating tough Mexican Ulises Solis to wrest the IBF light flyweight title.
Brian showed he had heart and a more aggressive brand of boxing.
* * *
This August, the man they call "The Hawaiian Punch" will defend his latest title for the first time against Mexican Jesus Iribe, who, according to Brian's manager Gary Gittelson, cannot be taken lightly.
"It's not going to be a walk in the park for Brian. This is no easy fight," said Gittelson through a phone patch that linked him and Brian with members of the press at noon yesterday at the Solar Century Penthouse in Makati.
The fight, dubbed "Island Assault," is expected to be patronized by the thousands of Filipinos based in Hawaii who will surely come out to see their homegrown hero.
"When you talk of boxing in Hawaii, the name Viloria is the first to come to mind. Brian is Hawaiian boxing," said Gittelson, who said it has been Brian's dream to fight again in Hawaii.
The last time he did was in 2003, almost four years after the Sydney Olympics where Brian participated as a member of the US boxing team.
* * *
It was Gittelson, according to a boxing scribe at yesterday's presscon, who had told him about a test conducted on the Olympic boxers just before they flew to Sydney in 2000.
"There was this new gadget which they wanted to test. It was supposed to measure the impact of a punch and Brian was one of the 12 boxers whose punch was measured.
The equipment revealed that while Brian was a light flyweight, he had the punch of a light middleweight like his Olympic teammate Jermaine Taylor, the former undisputed world middleweight champion, the scribe said.
"And that's how he came to be known as the "Hawaiian Punch."
* * *
"A couple more title defenses and I'll be ready to face Ivan Calderon of Puerto Rico," said Brian, adding he has considerably matured since winning his first world title.
"I have realized how important training and preparation are," he said. "I used to take these lightly."
"Now I know that keeping a title is a lot harder than winning it for the first time," said Brian, who points to preparation as the most important factor in a boxer's life.
Despite the ups and downs in Brian's career, Solar COO Peter Chanliong continues to believe in the boxer.
"He's intelligent, he has the skills, the heart, and most of all he has a powerful punch," said Peter.
http://sports.inquirer.net/columns/c...nse-vs-Mexican
Viloria ready for title defense vs Mexican
By Beth Celis
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:01:00 08/04/2009
SOME YEARS AGO, Filipino-American boxer Brian Viloria knocked out a Mexican fighter in the first round to earn his very first world title and the admiration of the Filipino nation.
From there, everyone expected the Hawaii-born boxer's career to soar, and maybe even follow the path of superstar Manny Pacquiao.
It didn't. As it turned out, Brian's career went through a maze of ups and downs and it was only in April, here in Manila, that he regained the respect of the boxing community by defeating tough Mexican Ulises Solis to wrest the IBF light flyweight title.
Brian showed he had heart and a more aggressive brand of boxing.
* * *
This August, the man they call "The Hawaiian Punch" will defend his latest title for the first time against Mexican Jesus Iribe, who, according to Brian's manager Gary Gittelson, cannot be taken lightly.
"It's not going to be a walk in the park for Brian. This is no easy fight," said Gittelson through a phone patch that linked him and Brian with members of the press at noon yesterday at the Solar Century Penthouse in Makati.
The fight, dubbed "Island Assault," is expected to be patronized by the thousands of Filipinos based in Hawaii who will surely come out to see their homegrown hero.
"When you talk of boxing in Hawaii, the name Viloria is the first to come to mind. Brian is Hawaiian boxing," said Gittelson, who said it has been Brian's dream to fight again in Hawaii.
The last time he did was in 2003, almost four years after the Sydney Olympics where Brian participated as a member of the US boxing team.
* * *
It was Gittelson, according to a boxing scribe at yesterday's presscon, who had told him about a test conducted on the Olympic boxers just before they flew to Sydney in 2000.
"There was this new gadget which they wanted to test. It was supposed to measure the impact of a punch and Brian was one of the 12 boxers whose punch was measured.
The equipment revealed that while Brian was a light flyweight, he had the punch of a light middleweight like his Olympic teammate Jermaine Taylor, the former undisputed world middleweight champion, the scribe said.
"And that's how he came to be known as the "Hawaiian Punch."
* * *
"A couple more title defenses and I'll be ready to face Ivan Calderon of Puerto Rico," said Brian, adding he has considerably matured since winning his first world title.
"I have realized how important training and preparation are," he said. "I used to take these lightly."
"Now I know that keeping a title is a lot harder than winning it for the first time," said Brian, who points to preparation as the most important factor in a boxer's life.
Despite the ups and downs in Brian's career, Solar COO Peter Chanliong continues to believe in the boxer.
"He's intelligent, he has the skills, the heart, and most of all he has a powerful punch," said Peter.
http://sports.inquirer.net/columns/c...nse-vs-Mexican
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