PINOY VILORIA ALSO FAVORED TO DETHRONE ORTIZ
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 08 Sep 2005
Manny Pacquiao may be a prohibitive favorite over Hector Velazquez, but another Filipino fighter, Brian "Hawaiian Punch" Viloria, is also being tipped as a favorite to snatch the WBC light-flyweight champ Eric Ortiz this Sunday.
Viloria, who instantly earned admiration from Filipinos around the globe after he openly rectified promoter Bob Arum that he is 100 percent Filipino and not just part-Filipino, is tabbed by Sportsbook.com as a -145 pick to dethrone the Mexican Ortiz, who is +115 to retain his title.
The Hawaii-raised Viloria, a former 2000 Olympian who is undefeated in 17 fights with 11 KO's as a pro, gained more prominence among Filipinos when he admitted in an interview with the Philippines' leading boxing program "Main Event" last Sunday that he is proud of his Filipino roots and would be fighting this Sunday with the Philippine flag emblazoned on his trunks.
"I am proud to be a Filipino, both my parents being Filipinos," Viloria told Main Event.
The Freddie Roach-trained Viloria had earlier said that after he wins the WBC 108-lb title, he plans to move back up to the 112-lb flyweight division and challenge any of the reigning champs, namely WBC kingpin Pongsaklek Wongjongkam, IBF titlist Vic Darchinyan or interim WBC champ Jorge Arce.
END
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