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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, June 30, 2006

Viloria to defend title on Aug. 10

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Brian Viloria

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Waipahu boxer Brian Viloria will make the second defense of his World Boxing Council light flyweight championship in Las Vegas on Aug. 10.

Viloria will be featured in the main event of a card at The Orleans Hotel and Casino. It will be televised on the Outdoor Life Network.

An opponent has yet to be determined, but it will end a six-month hiatus for Viloria.

"I'm just anxious to get back in the ring," Viloria, 25, said. "I didn't want to be too hasty in setting up a fight because of my hand, but I'm ready to go now."

Viloria's manager Gary Gittelsohn said he is currently negotiating with two potential opponents.

"It will be a title defense, so it has to be against somebody (ranked) in the top 10," Gittelsohn said. "They're all going to be tough from here on out."

Viloria broke a bone in his right hand during his first title defense against Jose Antonio Aguirre on Feb. 18. Viloria won by unanimous decision, but has not been able to spar in practice since then.

"My hand is fine, but I've been mostly working on my cardio and my ground work," said Viloria, who trains at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles.

Viloria, who is 19-0 with 12 knockouts, won the WBC championship with a first-round knockout of Eric Ortiz last September.

A No. 1-contender bout in the light flyweight division (108 pounds) between Juanito Rubillar of the Philippines and Wandee Singwancha of Thailand is scheduled for July 18 in Thailand. Gittelsohn said Viloria will probably fight the winner of that bout later this year.

"I don't know what's happening with that, but no matter who I end up fighting, it'll be a tough fight, so I have to be at my best," Viloria said.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.