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MANILA, Philippines – Former two-division boxing champion Brian Viloria will return to the ring this Saturday, December 6 against Armando Vazquez at the Civic Auditorium in Glendale, Calif.
Viloria (34-4, 20 knockouts) is looking to punctuate a 2014 that has largely been a rehab year, which includes two previous wins after sitting out much of 2013 following a tough split decision loss to Juan Francisco Estrada where he ceded two flyweight world titles.
Vazquez (21-11, 4 KOs), a light-hitting Mexican who last competed two divisions lower and has lost eight times by knockout, isn’t likely to derail the 34-year-old Filipino-American’s comeback plans.
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Should he emerge victorious, Viloria is looking at making another run at a flyweight championship in 2015, which could include a rematch with Estrada, a challenge of RING/WBC flyweight champion Roman Gonzalez or a fight with unbeaten Chinese prospect Zou Shiming.
“As far as an Estrada rematch is concerned, we would relish it,” Garry Gittelsohn, who has managed Viloria for his entire 13-year career, tells Rappler. “I think it would make a great double-header in March in Macau [alongside IBF flyweight titleholder Amnat Ruenroeng’s defense against Zou Shiming]. However, we won’t hold our breath, since Estrada has made it clear that he doesn’t want to get back in the ring with Brian.
“That leaves Roman Gonzalez as a big match possibility and Shiming in May or June, should Shiming win the IBF world title in March.”
Estrada (30-2, 22 KOs) of Hermosillo, Mexico has since made three defenses of the titles, defeating Filipinos Milan Melindo and Richie Mepranum plus former Viloria foe Giovani Segura. He is scheduled to face unbeaten Pinoy prospect Joebert Alvarez (14-0-1, 6 KOs) this Saturday in a non-title match.
Gonzalez (41-0, 35 KOs) of Managua, Nicaragua won titles at 105 and 108 before moving up to 112 to stop Akira Yaegashi in September to win the flyweight championship. He also holds a win over Estrada.
Viloria, who has twice held world titles at 108 pounds and in 2012 became the first boxer to unify the flyweight titles since 1965, will try once more to prove detractors wrong by rebounding from a tough loss.
“I think you will agree based on Brian’s history, he avoids no one,” says Gittelsohn. – Rappler.com
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