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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Viloria to fight August 10

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Bryan Viloria

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Waipahu boxer Brian Viloria doesn't want to just defend his world championship next month. He wants to defend it well.

Omar Nino Romero of Mexico has been selected to oppose Viloria in the main event of a card at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Aug. 10.

Viloria's World Boxing Council light flyweight (108-pound division) championship will be at stake.

"As long as I'm the champion, every fight I have is going to be a tough one," said Viloria, 25. "Every fighter is going to be up to take it away from me, so I have to be at my best. I feel like it's my job now not just to win these fights, but to win in spectacular fashion."

Viloria is 19-0 with 12 knockouts, but he has not fought since Feb. 18 because of a broken bone in his right hand. He injured his hand during a victory by unanimous decision over Jose Antonio Aguirre.

Viloria started sparring in practice this week.

"The hand is 110 percent," he said. "I just went six rounds (on Monday) and felt great."

Romero is 23-2-1 and ranked No. 13 in the WBC. All of his previous bouts took place in Mexico.

"I don't know much about him, but I have some tapes on him," Viloria said. "I'll spend the next couple weeks studying."

One of Romero's losses came via fifth-round knockout to Gilberto Keb Baas in 1998. Viloria defeated Keb Baas by 11th-round knockout in 2004.

It will be Viloria's second title defense since he won the championship with a first-round knockout of Eric Ortiz last September.

The winner of the Aug. 10 bout is expected to fight the winner of next week's bout between No. 1-ranked Juanito Rubillar of the Philippines and No. 2 Wandee Singwancha of Thailand.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.