Viloria fighting for legacy & clean slate in Romero Trilogy
Three-time world champion Brian “Hawaiian Punch” Viloria headlines the “Island Assault 4: The Battle” pay-per-view-event, defending his World Boxing Organization (“WBO”) Flyweight Championship against Omar Nino Romero, March 31 live from Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines.
For Viloria (30-3, 16 KOs), his third fight against Romero (30-42, 12 KOs) will complete their trilogy and, hopefully, avenge his first loss as a pro. Viloria was a 2000 U.S. Olympian who won his first 20 pro fights, until he lost his World Boxing Council (“WBC”) light flyweight belt to Romero by way of a 12-round unanimous decision in 2006. Three months later, their rematch ended in a draw and was later changed to a “no contest” when Romero failed the post-fight drug test.
“I want to clean the slate this fight,” Viloria said. “We’ve had a loss and draw, changed to a no contest, and that was my first loss. It kind of set the tone for how my career would go. I feel like there’d be unfinished business if I left it like that. The trilogy gives me a chance to put that chapter behind me. Romero is deceivingly quick and a little awkward at times. He goes in-and-out fairly well and throws a lot of combinations.”
Presently rated No. 2 by The Ring magazine, Viloria has beaten many of the best smaller-weight fighters in the world, including Giovanni Segura (TKO8), Julio Cesar Miranda (DEC12), Omar Soto (DEC10), Ulises Solis (KO11), Eric Ortiz (KO1), Jose Antonio Aguirre (DEC12) and Angel Antonio Priolo (KO7).
Being a three-time world champion and Olympian leaves little else for Viloria to accomplish in boxing. What really fuels him at this stage of his great career, though, is the legacy he will leave long after he’s hung-up his gloves.
“Right now,” Brian spoke about what’s left for him in boxing, “making it into the top 10 of the pound-for-pound list what really keeps me going. It’s been a dream of mine. I’ve done just about everything as an amateur and professional. I want to keep fighting but not just to be a footnote. I want to make my imprint to where people in 10-20 years will talk about watching ‘The Hawaiian Punch.’ My legacy is what really drives me today
“I love boxing. It’s been my passion since I was six, so I’ve been doing this for a while. When the day comes to hang it up, I’ll cross that bridge, and I’ll know when it’s time. I’m in the best shape of my life now. I’m in my prime and plan to be world champion for a while longer.”
“Island Assault 4:The Battle,” presented by Solar Sports, is being distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9:00 PM/ET – 6:00 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH Network and Avail-TVNfor a suggested retail price of only $29.95. “Island Assault 4: The Battle” will also be available via on-line PPV on Ustream.tv at http://www.ustream.tv/integratedsportsppv.
