Title rematch looms for Brian Viloria

MANILA, Philippines – Two-division boxing champion Brian Viloria returns to the ring this weekend against a familiar foe when he faces Omar Soto this Saturday, July 25 (Sunday morning Manila time) at the Florentine Gardens in Hollywood, Calif. 

Viloria (35-4, 21 knockouts) has already fought Soto (23-11-2, 15 KOs), eking out a split decision over the tough Mexican in 2010. Soto, now 35, hasn’t been in the ring in two years however, and lost 3 of his last 4 fights. 

The first time they fought, Viloria weighed a half pound heavier at 112. This time, Viloria, 34, weighed 112.8 pounds while Soto, 35, weighed 114.4 pounds at Friday’s weigh-in, for a 1.6 pound advantage.

The second go-around with Soto could set up a higher profile rematch, against WBA/WBO flyweight titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada in September, Viloria’s manager tells Rappler.

“We planned to have Brian in a rematch with Estrada in late September; Bob Arum approached me to include that fight as part of a PPV show Top Rank was assembling for late September. But, if there’s a certainty in boxing, it’s that the best laid plans are often fluid,” Viloria’s manager Gary Gittelsohn said.

Estrada upset Viloria by split-decision in April 2013 to take the WBA and WBO flyweight titles, ending a nearly 3-year run that saw Viloria enjoy the best success of his career. That stretch saw Viloria stop then-pound for pound candidate Giovani Segura, avenge his loss to Omar Nino and beat Hernan Marquez to unify the flyweight titles for the first time since 1965.

Since the Viloria fight, Estrada has beaten a number of Filipino contenders, including Richie Mepranum, Joebert Alvarez, Milan Melindo and Rommel Asenjo.

While a big fight – perhaps Viloria’s last chance – looms on the horizon, Gittelsohn says “The Hawaiian Punch” is concerned foremost with the task at hand.

The show is being promoted by Top Rank and will air at 11 pm ET/PT on UniMas as part of their “Solo Boxeo Tecate” series. – Rappler.com