After months of tough negotiations, world champion boxer Brian Viloria has finally secured a tough opponent for a title defense next month in the Philippines.

Viloria will defend his IBF light flyweight world championship against Carlos Tamara on Jan. 23 in Manila.

Viloria, who was raised in Waipahu but now trains in Oxnard, Calif., is 26-2 with 15 knockouts. This will be the second defense of the IBF title that he won in Manila in April.

Tamara, who is originally from Colombia but now trains out of New Jersey, is 20-4 with 14 knockouts. He is ranked No. 7 in the light flyweight (108 pounds) division by the IBF.

"At this stage, when you have to take mandatory fights, they're all going to be tough opponents," said Viloria's manager, Gary Gittelsohn. "Tamara is a fighter who has only lost to world champions, and he's never been (knocked out), so this is a serious opponent we're looking at."

Tamara lost a world title bout to Omar Narvaez in January 2008, but has won his last three bouts since. Like Viloria, Tamara is a former Olympic boxer (Viloria represented the United States at the 2000 Olympics; Tamara fought for Colombia in 2004).

Tamara recently became the chosen opponent after leading contender Omar Nino delayed contract negotiations with Viloria.

Gittelsohn said a December date was set for Viloria to defend his title against Nino, but Nino declined to sign the contract.

"We met all the requirements and the contract was sent to Nino's camp," Gittelsohn said. "But he never signed it, and so the IBF said to move on and take the next guy, who was Tamara."

Viloria has already fought Nino twice, the last time in November 2006. That bout was ruled a no-contest after Nino failed a post-fight drug test.

In any case, the bout against Tamara will be Viloria's first action since Aug. 29, when he successfully defended his IBF championship with a unanimous decision over Jesus Iribe at the Blaisdell Center Arena.

Thinking that he would fight in early December, Viloria has been training since late-September.

"Brian's in shape," Gittelsohn said. "We don't allow the contract negotiations to interfere with what he has to do in the gym."

A Viloria victory over Tamara could lead to an even bigger bout later in 2010.

Gittelsohn said he has had informal talks with the team of WBO light flyweight world champion Ivan Calderon for a title unification bout with Viloria.

"Obviously we can't look past Tamara, but if all goes according to plan, we're looking at a unification bout with Calderon, perhaps in April," Gittelsohn said.

He added that there is a chance that the Viloria-Calderon bout could be staged in Hawai'i.

"There's still a long way to go and a lot to discuss, but our first option would be Hawai'i," Gittelsohn said.

Viloria's title defense against Iribe drew a paid attendance of 2,849 at the Blaisdell, resulting in a gross ticket revenue of $201,650.