Viloria answers call for help
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
When asked to be part of a boxing card that would help benefit the families of victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, Brian Viloria's supportive answer came quicker than a left jab.
Advertiser library photo • May 11, 2001
"I was all for it immediately," said Viloria, who is in Los Angeles training for Friday's fight in San Francisco. "(That week) was one of the toughest weeks of my life. It was difficult for me to think about myself when all that tragedy was going on."
Brian Viloria will fight Nov. 23 in New York.
So Viloria will fight on a card tentatively scheduled for Nov. 23 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York. Three of Viloria's teammates from the 2000 USA Olympic team — Jermain Taylor, Clarence Vinson and Michael Bennett — and Dominican Republic 2000 Olympian Jerson Ravelo are also scheduled to appear on the card. No opponents have been determined, and organizers are trying to seek other former Olympic boxers to fight on the card.
The five confirmed boxers have agreed to donate their entire prize purses to the families of the victims of the attacks.
Gary Gittelsohn, Viloria's manager and a New York native who helped come up with the idea for the event, estimated that the total donation would be "in excess of $100,000."
"The amount of money will not replace the lives lost in New York and at the Pentagon," Viloria said. "But I'm just hoping it can help relieve just a little bit of the tension."
Viloria said he was training in Los Angeles when he heard about the attacks. Normally a workout fanatic, Viloria said he had to take the entire day off on Sept. 11.
"I couldn't believe what was going on," he said. "I called my family (in Waipahu) to make sure everything was OK. I knew it was crazy, and I could feel for (Gittelsohn) because of the look on his face. He was talking to his friends and relatives in New York all week."
Viloria's second professional fight — against Kenny Berrios of Puerto Rico — is scheduled for Friday at San Francisco. Depending on the outcome of that bout, Viloria may not fight again until the New York card.
"If he goes the distance and it's a tough bout, we'll probably rest him until (Nov. 23)," Gittelsohn said. "If it's a really quick fight, we may try to get him another one in October. But we're not even thinking about that now. First things first, he needs to focus on (Berrios)."
