Viloria steps up training with visions of title shot
| • | Not fight of his life, but close |
By Steve Rivera
Tucson Citizen
 |
| "This is some of the best training I've had since I've turned pro," says Brian Viloria, who hopes a victory tomorrow leads to a shot at a world title.
Advertiser library photo TOMORROW ON TV Brian Viloria (14-0, 8 KOs) versus Gilberto Keb Baas (22-10-1, 14 KOs) NABF flyweight title fight scheduled for 12 rounds Card starts at 3 p.m., Viloria expected to fight at about 4:30 ESPN2 |
Perhaps in part because he sees that his diligence and preparation may eventually help him realize his dream of becoming a world champion. Or at least give him a shot of becoming one.
"I see some dramatic improvement in Brian,'' Gary Gittelsohn, who manages the Waipahu fighter. "I haven't seen him this focused in more than a year.
He just seems to have more of an interest. He's been looking tremendous in the gym.''
He's working hard. He's more aggressive. And seemingly more focused.
"This is some of the best training I've had since I've turned pro,'' said Viloria, who after four years has a 14-0 record. He takes that unblemished mark into tomorrow night's fight against Gilberto Keb Baas (22-10-1) at Desert Diamond Casino. The seven-bout card will be broadcast on ESPN2, starting at 3 p.m. Hawai'i time.
"I'm feeling real good and sparring good, putting together things that I think I wasn't putting together before," Viloria said. "I've been working on my offensive moves more.''
If Viloria is successful against Keb Baas, Gittelsohn and Viloria are hopeful a potential championship fight will be worked on next. Viloria, the United State's biggest hopeful for a gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games before being upset in the quarterfinals, admitted he's picked up his pace.
"I look at every fight as an important one but this one more so because I want to get better,'' said Viloria, the North American Boxing (NABF) flyweight champ. "But this one I can build some momentum. This is important so that it'll keep me in the right direction.''
And although his direction toward a world championship always had been there, distractions were there, too. As Viloria called it, "struggles in (my) private life.''
"I've cleared up most of them and that's why I've been looking and feeling good,'' he said.
One heavy burden was the breakup of his promotion team, something that kept him idle for eight months. And although he still lacks a promoter, he's moved on from the concern of finding one.
"I think now I have more of a clear head going into a fight,'' Viloria said. "I'm just trying to keep it in stride.''
Perhaps because the last two fights he's been under the promotion of famed fighter-turned-promoter Sugar Ray Leonard.
"He's a young man who is a top professional prospect out of Hawai'i that has been taking boxing by storm,'' Leonard said. "This young man has been exciting, especially in that (flyweight) division because there are not too many fighters in that division who are popular. I think Brian Viloria is a guy with a type of personality and type of style who can really influence a lot of boxing fans."
Leonard added that Viloria is bringing name recognition and credibility to the lower weight classes.
When told of that, Viloria was thankful but said, "I'm focused on what I have to do as a fighter and not let things get on my shoulders on making me more stressed out. I just bring my abilities to bring into the weight division and capitalize on it.''
So for now the focus is on Keb Baas, the brother of Juan Alfonso Keb Baas, who was beaten by Viloria on a 12-round unanimous decision in February in his last fight.
Already, Viloria has said Gilberto is more durable than Juan Alfonso.
"He's a bit tougher and a bit bigger than his brother,'' Viloria said. "I don't like to overlook any boxer. All of them will give me good competition. I'm training extra hard to be in position for that world title fight.''
