VILORIA FIGHTS TODAY
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 05 Jan 2008
Former world champion Fil-Am Brian Viloria (19-2-0 12KOs) returns to action today after a nine-month layoff against Jose Garcia Bernal (27-9-1 18KOs) of Columbia at the Alameda Swap Meet in Los Angeles.
Both Viloria and Bernal tipped the scales at 115.5 lbs during yesterday's weighin for their 10-round superfly non-title bout.
A member of the 2000 US Olympic Team, Viloria became the hottest name in the flyweight division and the toast of Philippine boxing when he captured the WBC light flyweight title in 2005 by knocking out Eric Ortiz of Mexico in the first round.
But Viloria struggled to win his first defense of the title against Jose Antonio Aguirre of Mexico and crashed out when he was totally outclassed by Omar Nino Romero, also of Mexico, on Aug. 10, 2006. A rematch with Romero three months later proved unsuccessful as Romero retained the title via a majority draw. The bout was later ruled a no-contest after Romero was found to have traces of a banned substance in his urine and the title was declared vacant.
In what was his best chance to get the title back, Viloria was pitted against Edgar Sosa of Mexico City for the vacant title on April 14, 2007 but lost by a majority decision.
Today's fight is a crossroad fight for Viloria and a good measuring stick of where he's at in his career. On paper, Viloria should win easily against Bernal who had lost six of his last ten bouts. But a disastrous loss against Bernal could send Viloria into retirement and end what once was a very boxing promising career.
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