Viloria on track for title shot
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 13 Sep 2017
Former WBC/IBF lightflyweight and WBO/WBA flyweight champion Brian Viloria is in line for a shot at another world title with his Los Angeles manager Gary Gittelsohn now evaluating options to seal the deal next year.
Last Saturday, Viloria stopped tough Miguel Cartagena, an American of Puerto Rican descent, at 0:44 of the fifth round to post the sixth win in his last seven outings since 2014 at the StubHub Center in Carson City. It was the Hawaiian Punch?s second straight triumph after losing to Chocolatito Gonzalez at Madison Square Garden in New York in 2015. He previously outpointed Ruben Montoya in Tokyo last March.
The win over Cartagena was far from easy. Late in the first round, Viloria was rocked by a left hook and shaken up. Cartagena also dominated the action in the second round before Viloria turned it around. ?I got a little too excited in the first couple of rounds,? Viloria told The Star. ?I eventually settled down, picked my shots and boxed.?
Cartagena, 25, began to wilt in the fourth and reeled across the ring on his heels as Viloria stepped up his attack. Early in the fifth, referee Raul Caiz, Sr. stopped the carnage as a defenseless Cartagena took every blow that Viloria threw. Freddie Roach?s Filipino chief assistant Marvin Somodio, who worked Viloria?s corner with long-time cutman Ruben Gomez, said composure did the trick.
?Brian took a good left hook at the end of the first round because he got too excited and wanted to show a great fight,? said Somodio. ?He got careless a bit but managed to stay composed in the third and so forth until he got the stoppage.? Somodio said Viloria?s ready for another world title fight. ?At flyweight, he wants to fight whomever,? he went on. ?And for me, sooner is better.?
Somodio said Viloria?s preparation was uncompromising. ?Brian started training a week after his Japan fight,? he said. ?I can?t remember all the boxers he sparred with because there were so many of them.? Viloria?s work ethic is exemplary and at 36, he remains a top contender in the 112-pound division.
?Cartagena was a dangerous opponent,? said Gittelsohn. ?He came to fight and pressure Brian. But he ate some horrific shots, painful left hooks to the body followed by strong right hands to the head. The flyweight division is definitely where Brian will stay and he still makes 112 comfortably.?
Gittelsohn called the fight ?a beautiful outing.? ?Brian looked solid, very solid,? he said. ?Brian closed the show strong and delivered a beautiful TKO. He was never badly hurt but got caught with a good punch at the end of round one because of carelessness. I?ll be evaluating options with Mr. (Akihiko) Honda of Teiken Promotions. Brian will definitely have a world title fight in 2018.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 18 JANUARY 2026: Nikita Tszyu-Michael Zerafa End in No Contest; Raul Curiel Outpoints Jordan Panthen
By Eric Armit, Mon, 19 Jan 2026Ryan Daye ready for WBC title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
Mon, 19 Jan 2026RAUL “EL CUGÁR” CURIEL CRUISES TO UNANIMOUS DECISION WIN OVER JORDAN “THE PATRIOT” PANTHEN
Sat, 17 Jan 2026Weights from Philadelphia
Sat, 17 Jan 2026Mexico Commemorates 12th Death Anniversary of Don Jose Sulaiman (Photos)
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 17 Jan 2026MOLLY McCANN EYES 'HUGE' STATEMENT START TO 2026 AS SHE JOINS BUMPER WOOD-WARINGTON CARD IN NOTTINGHAM ON FEBRUARY 21
Sat, 17 Jan 2026NEW MAIN EVENT ANNOUNCED! RAUL CURIEL SCHEDULED TO FACE JORDAN PANTHEN IN MIDDLEWEIGHT SCRAP
Fri, 16 Jan 2026SMALLS VS RAMOS TOPS STACKED UNDERCARD FOR NAVARRETE-NUNEZ BLOCKBUSTER IN GLENDALE
Fri, 16 Jan 2026Usyk Linked to Zuffa Boxing Deal as Questions Loom Over Title Defenses
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 16 Jan 2026Abass Baraou: "No One Has Been Able to Withstand My Pressure!"
Fri, 16 Jan 2026Wise Owl Boxing Signs Rising Female Star Chantel “Chicanita” Navarro
Fri, 16 Jan 2026Mauricio Sulaiman: WBC wants to protect fighters' dream of becoming a world champion
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 15 Jan 2026Xander Zayas: "It's Time to Make History!"
Thu, 15 Jan 2026Weights from Trenton, NJ
Thu, 15 Jan 2026Pro Boxer and Recent Grad Returns for Fight Night on the Farm — Celebrating Stanford’s Boxing Community
Thu, 15 Jan 2026