Cotto, Viloria in comeback fights

ARLINGTON – Former Sydney Olympians Brian (The Hawaiian Punch) Viloria and Miguel Cotto got together here to witness the historic Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey bout that marked the first-ever boxing event at the Cowboys Stadium last weekend.

And they clearly drew inspiration from Pacquiao’s showing before a crowd of 50,944 fans. Cotto occupied a ringside seat while Viloria sat right by the ring apron, doing broadcast chores on the TV panel for Solar’s live satellite coverage.

The day before the fight, Cotto was spotted eating breakfast with WBC president Jose Sulaiman and his party at the Riverwalk Café in the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center where the boxing fraternity stayed for the weekend.

Cotto and Viloria exchanged notes when they saw each other at the resort.

“We’ve known each other since we were about 14 fighting in junior international competitions,” said Viloria. “In 1998, we participated in a US-Puerto Rico dual meet where I was named best US boxer and he was the best Puerto Rican boxer. We both made it to Sydney for the Olympics. Miguel was a lightwelterweight then and the American representative Ricardo Williams won the gold medal. I fought in the flyweight division.”


Viloria beat Russia’s Sergei Kazakob, 8-6, in his first Olympic bout then lost a 6-4 decision to France’s Brahim Asloum who went on to win the gold and further became a world pro champion. Cotto was eliminated by Uzbekistan’s Muhammad Abdullaev, 17-7, in his first outing. Abdullaev eventually bagged the gold and lost to Cotto later in the pros. Both Viloria and Cotto were victimized by the gold medalists in their divisions in the Olympics.

Now, the 29-year-old friends are again in a similar situation. They’re smarting from losses. Cotto hasn’t fought since losing to Manny Pacquiao on a 12th round stoppage last November. Viloria ran out of steam and was also stopped in the 12th round in losing his IBF lightflyweight crown to Colombia’s Carlos Tamara at the Cuneta Astrodome last January.

On the comeback trail, Cotto and Viloria are moving up a weight class. Cotto is booked to challenge WBA lightmiddleweight titlist Yuri Foreman at Yankee Stadium in New York on June 5 while Viloria said he’ll fight again – this time as a flyweight – in May.

“I don’t see a problem bringing my power over to the next division,” said Cotto. Viloria said the same thing.

Cotto would’ve earned a tidy sum if he bet for the Pacquiao-Clottey fight to go the distance. The winner was a foregone conclusion so the wagers were mainly on whether the fight will go 12 or less.

Before the fight, Cotto predicted that Pacquiao wouldn’t be able to knock out Clottey.

“I’ve fought them both and I was the common opponent in their last fights,” said Cotto. “I lost to Manny and beat Clottey. I think Clottey’s too strong for Manny because he’s so much bigger. He’ll be able to take Manny’s power but he won’t win because he doesn’t throw enough. If he lets his hands go, maybe, it’ll be a different story. But the way I see it, Manny will win by a unanimous decision.”

Cotto was right on the money.

Viloria foresaw a slight variation.

“Manny’s too fast for Clottey,” said Viloria. “He’ll run rings around him. He’ll frustrate Clottey until he finally gives up. It could be a late stoppage. I don’t think Clottey will go down but he’ll be so badly beaten up the referee will stop it. The frustration could also lead to a disqualification if Clottey loses his head and gets desperate.”

Viloria was in town with his fiancée Erika Navarro. They are set to get married on Dec. 3 in Oahu.

Source: Joaquin Henson  | Philstar.com

Brian Viloria: "I Would Rather Die Doing What I Love"

If his statements over lunch with a selected media group is any indication then former two-time world light flyweight champion Brian Viloria will be back, aiming for another world title.

Although for the time being he plans to take a good rest accompanied by his charming girlfriend Erika Navarro, a nurse, before deciding on whether to continue fighting or not, Viloria said "I’d would rather die doing something I love rather than go on living doing something I don’t like."

However, Viloria said he didn’t want to make a hasty decision regarding his future because "its something I really need to think about when I get back to Los Angeles and sit down with my team (trainer Robert Garcia and manager Gary Gittelsohn) and see what the best move is. I love the sport. Its something I’ve been doing since I was five years old. My decision will come to me and I’ll know."

Viloria was sure that "physically I’ll heal and mentally I’m there with all the help and support given me to get through this and I can’t complain. That’s why we love to come back to the Philippines. That’s why I love the fans here."

Asked about the possibility of another fight later this year, Viloria said "we’ll take a look at what my health situation is because that comes first. When I do find out we’ll let everybody know and hopefully we’ll be still with boxing."



Viloria confessed that because he loves the sport of boxing so much "its kind of hard to step out in this fashion" although he said he and the newly crowned champion Carlos Tamara "were in a tough battle. I knew from the start that we were going to put our best foot forward and we both did. He came to fight and I came to fight. That’s the name of the sport. You put your best foot forward. Somebody has to lose. I’m kind of sad that it was me but I can’t get down because I gave it all I had."

He said "maybe I need to look back and see whether I need to step up in weight or look at other things and see if I can get my body in the right mode this time."

Girlfriend Erika Navarro said she had "full confidence that whatever Brian chooses in his career I’ll support him. I told him that Saturday night whatever you choose I’ll support you one hundred percent."

Viloria praised referee Bruce McTavish for stopping the fight with 1:45 remaining in the final round saying, "If he didn’t do it, it could have probably been a lot worse. Kudos to Bruce for stopping the fight. I could have kept fighting to my last breath because that’s how we are as fighters. It could have been wrong, until you die in the ring but for Bruce maybe he thought it was the right time to do it and he did. He’s a good quality referee and I give him a big thumbs up because God knows if I kept going to my last breath what would have happened."

In an interesting coincidence Viloria said when in hospital after he suddenly felt exhausted and drained in the ring and collapsed in his dressing room, they found he was "really low on potassium" which was exactly what doctors discovered when AJ "Bazooka" Banal who was way ahead in his fight against Rafael Concepcion two years ago suddenly wilted and was knocked out in the tenth round.

Viloria and Ms. Navarro leave on Saturday for Los Angeles to rest and recuperate and indicated that they may spend Valentine’s Day in Hawaii where his girlfriend is from although both Viloria’s and Erika’s parents are from Ilocos Sur.

Source: Ronnie Nathanielsz  | BoxingScene.com

Viloria blames self for bitter loss

MANILA, Philippines - It looks like Brian Viloria is far from finished, and the way he sounded yesterday, all he needs is a good rest and some time to think things over before he could return to the ring.

Six days after losing his IBF light-flyweight crown to Carlos Tamara, Viloria still carried the signs of his gallant 12-round battle with the younger and hungrier Colombian when he faced a small group of mediamen at the Manila Hotel.

His face was puffy, which he said was because of all the salt tablets he’d taken the past few days, and sported a bandage over his left eye, which was cut and needed some stitches to close. He said he had gained more than 20 pounds since Saturday.

Viloria talked about the fight, which he led most of the way before he just ran out of gas, and said there’s no one else to blame but himself. He also took his hat off to the referee, Bruce McTavish, for stepping in before things could get worse.

“First, I feel great to be out of the hospital. I felt like time stopped while I was there,” said Viloria, who spent a couple of days at the Makati Medical Center where he was brought moments after the fight, after he “fainted” out of pure exhaustion.


“I put everything, every last ounce of my energy to that fight. I tried to give what the fans wanted. And that’s the nature of this sport,” said Viloria, all set to fly back to the United States today with his fiancee, LA-based Filipina nurse Erika Navarro.

Viloria was ahead on all scorecards until the end of the eighth round, and could have won the fight had he chosen to run away from Tamara, the 26-year-old veteran of the 2004 Athens Olympics.

“But that’s not me. If I wanted to run I would have joined the marathon. It’s the fighter in me that always comes out, regardless of the situation. It takes over me, and I would rather stand there toe to toe (than run away). That’s my nature as a fighter,” he said.

Viloria took Tamara’s best punches but was never knocked down. He fell down twice, though, but it was because he lost his balance in the final round as he took wild swings at Tamara. He said he never got hurt during the fight, and he was telling the truth.

He knew he hurt Tamara a couple of times, but just couldn’t finish him off. In fact, the Colombian’’s face looked worse than Viloria’s after the fight which had the crowd at the Cuneta Astrodome chanting Viloria’s name before, during and after the fight.

“What happened in the last round,” he said, “was that your mind wanted to fight to keep going but when dehydration gets in it doesn’t mind what your mind tells you. Everything just shuts down. My body was so dehydrated it just shut down. And when your body shuts down you can’t help it,” said Viloria.

He said he would consult with the people around him, including his manager Gary Gittelsohn, trainer Robert Garcia, cutman Ruben Gomez, and of course, Erika, whom he said is always there to help him “keep things in perspective.”

Garcia and Gomez said maybe it’s about time for Viloria, now 29 and not getting any younger, to retire, but said they’d respect the boxer’s decision, and would stick around if indeed he decides to continue fighting.

It seems that will be the case.

“Maybe I need to look back and see if I need to move up. Maybe I need to go up to 112 or 115. I was 108 since I was fourteen and maybe it’s time for me to let my body grow,” said Viloria, who had gone up to 112 a couple of years ago, but had to slide back down to 108 where he’d won the world title twice.

“I don’t need to come up with the decision right now. I will sit down with my team and see what the best move is. I love the sport and I hear a lot saying it’s time to retire. But I already told you I would rather die doing what I love than do something that I don’t love,” he said.

“It (decision) will come to me and I’ll know. Maybe when I get to LA that will come. And when I know what I’ll do I will let everybody know. Is the glass half empty or half full? I’d like to look at it as half full,” said Viloria, who added that he always wanted to be a reporter who’d cover boxing, basketball and football.

Erika, who sat to Viloria’s left, said she’s with him all the way.

“I have full confidence in him and whatever he chooses I will support him. I will support him a hundred percent,” she said.

For now, that’s all Brian wants to hear.

Source: Abac Cordero  | Philstar.com

Referee hails Viloria's brave heart

MANILA, Philippines - New Zealand referee Bruce McTavish said yesterday if not for Brian Viloria’s big heart, the Hawaiian Punch could’ve coasted to victory in his IBF lightflyweight title defense against Colombian Carlos Tamara and avoided the abrupt end to his reign.

Viloria led on two of the three judges scorecards entering the 12th and final round when McTavish stopped it with less than two minutes left in the fight at the Cuneta Astrodome last Saturday afternoon. Viloria never went down but slipped twice in the last round, unable to keep his balance because of exhaustion. He was helpless along the ropes with Tamara firing from all angles when McTavish stepped in.

In the dressing room after the bout, Viloria complained of dizziness and was rushed to the San Juan de Dios Hospital for stabilization then to the Makati Medical Center for tests. Viloria was in tears when he was brought out of the Astrodome. He spent the night at the Makati Medical Center and was scheduled to be discharged yesterday. All tests turned out negative.

“Brian asked me why I stopped it because he wanted to finish the fight,” said McTavish. “The kid’s got a big heart. He could’ve just held on, clinched and danced away. But Brian didn’t want to disappoint the fans. He fought until the end. He’s a real warrior. You don’t find too many fighters like him anymore.”

McTavish said from his experience of working over 100 world title fights, he has witnessed champions like Viloria bounce back from a defeat like what he suffered last Saturday.


“I don’t think it’s the end of the road for Brian although it’s his decision whether or not to go on fighting,” said McTavish. “If he decides to come back, it’ll be a more a mental struggle than anything else. But he’s a tough kid. If he wants to, Brian can come back and fight again. He lost his stamina against Tamara. It wasn’t like he was knocked out of his feet.”

McTavish said Viloria looked burned out in the end. “It seemed to me that he was dehydrated,” added McTavish. “I couldn’t let it go on. The health of a fighter is my priority. Brian was defenseless. If I didn’t stop it when I did, he could’ve been seriously injured.”

McTavish was congratulated by the hometown crowd for his intervention at 1:45 of the 12th.

Viloria’s trainer Robert Garcia, the former IBF superfeatherweight champion from Oxnard, California, said the champion let it all hang out in the eighth round when he almost floored Tamara and had little left in his tank the rest of the way.

“I don’t think he was overtrained,” said Garcia. “He ate well and had no difficulty making the weight during our camp. He was around 109-110 pounds after each workout. He was in excellent shape. But that’s boxing. You’ll never know what can happen in the ring. When I saw that Brian got really tired after the eighth, I told him to just jab and move away. But Brian didn’t want to run. If he was going down, he wanted to go down fighting. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

Garcia said he’ll support whatever decision Viloria makes about his career.

“Right now, I’m thinking maybe he should retire,” said Garcia. “He’s done it all. He’s enjoyed a good run. He’s won two world titles. But that’s what I think today. Maybe, tomorrow, when things normalize, I’ll think differently. It’s up to Brian. I’ll support whatever he decides. He’s like a brother to me. We’re like family. I’ll always be there for him.”

Garcia said Viloria never collapsed and never lost consciousness after the fight.

“We took him to the hospital in an ambulance because we wanted to be sure he was fine,” said Garcia. “The doctors were great. All the tests showed no damage. By night time, he was joking and eating in his hospital room.”

Attending neurologist Dr. Regina Macalintal-Canlas declared Viloria out of danger at the Makati Medical Center late Saturday night.

Garcia credited Tamara for the come-from-behind win. “I congratulated him,” said Garcia. “He deserved to win. I told him to enjoy his reign, that he showed a lot of guts in coming to Manila and fighting Brian.”

Viloria’s cutman Ruben Gomez said the Filipino from Waipahu, Hawaii, and Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, has nothing to be ashamed of.

“I thought Brian had a tougher fight against (Ulises) Solis than Tamara,” said Gomez who worked Manny Pacquiao’s corner as a cutman when the Filipino stopped Lehlo Ledwaba for the IBF superbantamweight crown in Las Vegas in 2001. “He just got tired. I thought Brian was too tight, too tense. When you’re tight and tense, you get tired more easily. I told him to relax, to have fun and enjoy the fight. But I think he wanted a spectacular finish to please the fans and put a lot of pressure on himself. He wanted to knock out Tamara.”

Gomez said Viloria ran out of gas after expending all his energy trying to stop Tamara in the eighth.

“My wife (Maria Pompeya) noticed that Brian’s eyes looked sunken before the fight, like he was drained,” said Gomez. “But he wasn’t hungry. I brought fruits to the dressing room before the fight and Brian didn’t eat any. Tamara took Brian’s hardest shots and he never went down. You’ve got to give him credit for that.”

Gomez said maybe, it’s time for Viloria to consider retiring.

Source: Joaquin Henson  | Philstar.com

Viloria cedes crown to Tamara

MANILA, Philippines - It turned out Carlos Tamara wasn’t bluffing when he said during Friday’s official weigh-in he’d be flying out of the country as the new IBF light-flyweight champion.

He will.

The 26-year-old Colombian, so hungry for a world title. pounded Fil-American Brian Viloria into submission yesterday, scoring a 12th round technical knockout at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The Filipino crowd that had hoped for a victory went home disappointed that Viloria, after taking control of the fight until the eighth round, lost steam and started kissing Tamara’s gloves.

While Tamara sported bruises all over his face after the fight, his punches proved heavier than Viloria’s because it was the latter who failed to carry on and forced the referee to stop the fight.


In the final three rounds, Viloria lived on instinct. It must be the crowd chanting his name that kept him going. But in the 12th and last round, there was no one who could help him. Except the referee.

Tamara answered the bell for the 12th round with his right arm raised. Then he went for the kill, hurting Viloria with head blows. Viloria looked hurt, winded and exhausted and he lost his balance and fell down twice after missing with wild swings.

The end came in the 1:45 mark of the final round when Viloria, with his back against the ropes, looked so helpless as he took a flurry of blows to the head. Referee Bruce McTavish jumped in between the two fighters to halt the execution.

The Tamara corner whooped it up shortly after, with the 26-year-old veteran of thre 2004 Athens Olympics bouncing for joy. Just across the ring, Viloria looked like he just fought a hundred rounds, wearing an oxygen mask and a big cut over his left eye.

It was the first world title for Tamara, who never had a doubt that when he boards his plane back to New Jersey at 8 a.m. today, he’d be carrying the wonderful belt that Viloria used to wear, and may never wear again.

“We never had a doubt, from day one of the camp,” said Tamara, who doesn’t speak English, through his trainer, Butch Sanchez, during the post-fight press conference.

“But Brian is an excellent champion. I thought I was down but when the conditions changed, I went at him with everything I had. I think my shifting stance confused him, and when he started missing, I started jumping on him,” he added.

As Tamara fielded questions from the media, Viloria was being rushed to the hospital. (See related story)

“Brian is a great person. Everybody in that camp is a class act. Not one bad word was said before this fight. And right after this we’re going straight to the hospital to make sure he’s okay,” said Sanchez.

“That’s our biggest concern now. That Brian is safe. He’s a great person. He’s a very good person,” he added.

Even if he survived the last round, Viloria could have lost the contest because the last round could have gone 10-8 round for the Colombian. After 11 rounds, judge Ray Reed had it 105-104 for Viloria; Joe Garcia, 106-103, again for Viloria; and Samsak Sirianant, 105-104, for Tamara.

“I’m just hungry I wanted to become the world champion. Brian was strong in the early rounds but again my hunger made the difference. My determination was too much for Brian to overcome,” said Tamara who looked forward to his next match.

“Brian is the best at 108 pounds and I just beat him. Now I want Ivan Calderon. So, let’s get it on. Let’s fight,” said Tamara, who doesn’t see a rematch with Viloria ever happening.

In the supporting bouts, Filipinos Donnie Nietes, Jimrex Jaca and Jason Pagara disposed of their foreign opponents while Dodie Boy Peñalosa Jr., son of the former two-time world champion, made his pro debut by knocking out Anthony Balubar in the second round.

Nietes, the reigning WBO minimumweight champion, floored Mexico’s Jesus Silvestre in the first round then waited for his opponent to give up the fight in the 10th and final round while Jaca pulled off a fifth-round stoppage over Indonesia’s Ramadhan Weriu in their lightweight encounter.

Nietes’ crown was not at stake in the fight because Silvestre, a last-minute replacement for Gutty Gutierrez, is not ranked by the WBO. But the pride of Bacolod City put on a show for the fans and improved his record to 25-1-3 (14 knockouts).

Pagara had a tougher time against another Indonesian, Eddy Comaro, and won their lightweight bout scheduled for 10 rounds via majority decision. He is now 21-1-0 while Jaca improved to 29-6-3.

Dodie Boy Jr. went to work early, tagging his opponent from Vigan City with clean shots to the head and body and sending him down with a right hook barely a minute into their super-bantamweight contest.

Balubar went down again from a heavy body shot with a minute left in the second round and went down for good a few seconds later after taking another big shot to the right side of the body.

Source: Abac Cordero  | Philstar.com

Deposed champ Viloria now in stable condition

Brian Viloria is now in stable condition after being rushed to the San Juan De Dios Hospital when the deposed champion complained of chest pains and a headache after his 12-round title match against Carlos Tamara of Colombia.

The Hawaiian Punch suffered a shocking 12th round TKO loss against his Colombian challenger to surrender the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world light-flyweight title belt to Tamara Saturday in the main event of the "Boxing at the Bay: Collision Course" at the Astrodome.

Viloria was a no-show during the post-fight press conference and was rushed to the San Juan De Dios Hospital, which is a few minutes away from the Astrodome, for a routine check-up.

He was later transferred to the Makati Medical Center since San Juan De Dios did not have the proper equipment to treat his injuries. Viloria is now in stable condition but still complaining of headache.

Even fellow Filipino champion Nonito Donaire Jr., the reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight interim world champion, wished for Viloria’s speedy recovery in his Twitter account.

The former IBF world champion was in control for most of the match, showing patience and choosing his combinations well waiting for any possible opening from Tamara’s defense.

The crowd’s chants of "Viloria, Viloria" pumped up Viloria as the Hawaiian Punch turned up the pressure on Tamara and at times even pounded the Colombian challenger into a corner.

But Tamara, who did not stop throwing punches, showed incredible stamina and guts as he engaged Viloria in several strong exchanges that brought wild cheers from the pro-Filipino crowd.

Referee Bruce McTavish stopped the fight after Viloria, wobbly and on the verge of going down, received 14 unanswered punches from Tamara. The official time was 1:45 in the 12th round.

There were also reports that Viloria collapsed inside the dugout. Viloria even felt some chest pains inside his dugout after the fight, although he was already supposedly feeling well while on his way to the hospital.

Games and Amusements Board boxing chief Nasser Cruz said that the chest pain might be more psychological than physical on Viloria’s part.

Source: Author Unknown  | gmanews.tv

Viloria rushed to hospital after losing IBF title

Brian Viloria was rushed to hospital after collapsing inside his locker room at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City following a 12th-round loss to Colombian Carlos Tamara on Saturday.

A radio dzMM report said Viloria was rushed by an ambulance to the San Juan de Dios Hospital after collapsing in his dressing room due to exhaustion.

The report said that according to nurses, Viloria was already conscious upon arrival at the hospital around 3 p.m..

Sports analyst Ronnie Nathanielz told radio dzMM that Viloria must have been drained from his fight against Tamara.

“He was totally drained and I think that caused the problem for him,” Nathanielz said.

Viloria went down twice during his fight against Tamara. He lost after the referee stopped the fight on the 12th round.

Tamara won by technical knockout, snatching the Filipino's International Federation light flyweight crown.

Meanwhile, two Filipinos -- Donnie "Ahas" Nietes and Jimrex Jaca -- won their undercard fights.

Source: Author Unknown  | abs-cbnnews.com

Tamara upsets Viloria, wrests IBF world title

Carlos Tamara, in his third shot for a world title, made true to his word of returning to Colombia a champion.

Tamara scored a stunning upset over Filipino-American Brian Viloria to wrest the International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-flyweight crown by way of a 12th round technical knockout in the main event of "Boxing at the Bay: Collision Course" Saturday at the Astrodome in Pasay City.

The Colombian challenger, on Wednesday arriving in Manila without a world crown, promised to snatch the title from Viloria and return home in Bogota a champion.

Referee Bruce McTavish stopped the fight after Viloria, wobbly and on the verge of going down, received 14 unanswered punches from Tamara. The official time was 1:45 of the 12th round.

Tamara improved his record to 21 wins (15 KOs) and four losses while Viloria failed in his bid to defend the title for the third time and suffered his third loss - first by way of KO - against 26 wins with 15 KOs.

Source: Author Unknown  | gmanews.tv

'Hawaiian Punch' inspired by Manny

MANILA, Philippines - IBF lightflyweight champion Brian Viloria said he is inspired by Manny Pacquiao’s work ethic and it will propel him to overachieve in his second title defense against Colombian challenger Carlos Tamara at the Cuneta Astrodome today.

“It’s amazing how Manny drives himself to work so hard in the gym, the way he prepares for a fight,” said Viloria. “When you think he’s achieved the pinnacle, Manny surprises you by doing even more. It’s unfair when someone calls a prospect the next Manny Pacquiao because there’ll never be another Manny Pacquiao. What he has done is unheard of, winning seven world titles in seven divisions.”

Viloria was at ringside broadcasting for Solar TV when Pacquiao halted Miguel Cotto to win the WBO welterweight crown - his seventh world title - in Las Vegas last November.

“The fight against Cotto proved how far Manny has progressed,” continued Viloria. “In every fight, he just gets better, showing more intelligence, more skills. He’s come full circle. He hits just as hard with the left hook as the right straight. Right now, Pacquiao’s the guy. He’s earned his stripes.”

Asked to drop hints on his fightplan for Tamara, Viloria said he’ll apply a lot of pressure, work the body, slow him down and move inside.


“I think my biggest strengths are resiliency and the ability to pressure my opponents,” he said. “I don’t really think too much of what I’ll do inside the ring. If you think too much, you lose that split-second edge. I just go with my instincts. I’ll come in with a fightplan, which I’ll stick with until there’s a need to adjust, depending on what Tamara brings to the table. I’m not going in looking for a knockout. I’ll be ready to go 12 rounds if necessary but if there’s an opening to go for the kill, I’ll definitely go for it.”

Viloria said his trainer Robert Garcia, a former IBF superfeatherweight champion, has injected new life in his career.

“Robert brought me back to the basics and worked on my fundamentals,” he said. “He and his father Eduardo are a big influence along with my manager Gary Gittelsohn. He got me excited to work in the gym again. He made me aware of the value of being in condition. Robert really knows his stuff. He’s now working with Nonito Donaire as a strategist. He also works with Steven Luevano. I don’t think Robert is spreading himself too thinly working with so many world champions. He’s there when you need him.”

Viloria admitted his career has been topsy-turvy.

“I know what it’s like to go down and I don’t like it,” said Viloria. “Now that I’m back as world champion, I intend to stay a world champion. If I were to pattern my career after somebody else’s, it would be the Cinderella Man’s. Jim Braddock was down when he picked himself up and beat Max Baer for the world heavyweight title as a 10-to-1 underdog in 1935.”

Viloria was hailed as a star on the rise when he knocked out Mexico’s Eric Ortiz in one round to capture the WBC lightflyweight title in 2005. Then, he lost the title in his second defense and failed to regain it in two attempts.Critics pounced on Viloria for losing the fire in his belly and the Hawaiian Punch from Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, had to rebuild his reputation all over again, fighting in small cards in small venues, until he halted Ulises Solis in a dramatic 11th round knockout to wrest the IBF 108-pound crown at the Araneta Coliseum last April.

Regarding the aborted fight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Viloria said there’s no doubt in his mind that “Pretty Boy” brought up impossible conditions to wiggle out of a duel with the Filipino icon.

“Mayweather just doesn’t want to fight Manny,” he said. “Why should Manny accept his conditions? Manny stuck to his principles. Mayweather has no right to demand drug-testing procedures because that’s none of his business. It’s the regulating authorities who make the call on drug-testing. They set the guidelines and fighters follow.”

Viloria said he’s not worried that Pacquiao will lose focus as a fighter with his commercial and business commitments.

“Manny thrives in what some people think is a chaotic situation,” continued Viloria. “Some fighters won’t like it when they move around with an entourage of 40 people. But Manny’s different. He loves it. It’s been that way since he became a multiple champion. That’s what Manny’s about. God put him in this planet for a reason. Manny brings pride and honor to the Philippines and the Filipino people. That’s his purpose and nobody can take that away from him.”

Viloria said Pacquiao genuinely enjoys what he’s doing and it shows in the way he drives himself in and out of the ring.

“Like Manny, I don’t consider boxing a job,” said Viloria. “I love the sport. I embrace doing what I have to do to be the best I can be in the ring.”

Source: Joaquin Henson  | Philstar.com

Viloria easily makes weight; foe struggles

MANILA, Philippines - Brian Viloria jumped on the scales and made 108 lb flat. His opponent, Carlos Tamara, tried twice, naked the second time, but was half a pound over the limit.

During the official weigh-in for Viloria’s defense of his IBF light-flyweight crown, scheduled at noon today at the Cuneta Astrodome, it was quite evident which fighter is in better shape for the awaited 12-round battle.

Viloria pumped his fist and smiled at photographers after making the weight while Camara, who hails from Colombia, needed an extra hour to burn the excess. After his third trip to the scales, he was finally cleared to fight.

“I’m ready. I’ve been ready,” said Viloria, making his way out of the Manila Hotel’s Centennial Hall yesterday morning, holding on to a big plastic bottle of rehydration fluid which fighters normally drink right after the weigh-in.

Viloria stood beside Tamara, face-to-face, for the photo-op after the initial weigh in, and left right after. By the time Tamara made the weight, the Fil-American champion must have finished eating, relaxing up in his room.


Tamara’s trainer, Butch Sanchez, couldn’t figure out why the veteran of the 2004 Olympics went over the limit when just a few hours earlier he was well inside the limit, at 106 lb, using a digital scale at the hotel’s fitness center.

“But it’s okay. Carlos made the weight and tomorrow he’ll be the new champion, the IBF champion,” said Sanchez of the 26-year-old challenger, three years younger than Viloria and at 5’5 an inch taller. He also has a longer reach, 66” to Viloria’s 65.”

When he finally made the weight, Tamara was seen giving the thumbs-up sign to his handlers.

“This is a chance of a lifetime so you have to make the most out of it. Carlos is the underdog but he loves being the underdog. And he likes to fight away from home. So, the pressure is on Brian, not on him,” he said.

Sanchez was asked if he sees the fight going the distance, and he said, “If one gets careless then he ends up in his bed.”

Viloria, making the second defense he won via a sensational knockout of Ulises Solis last year, said he trained three-and-a-half months for this fight, but brushed off any possibility of a burnout.

“It those three months we made it fun, laughing and cracking jokes. The first month it was about waking up in the morning, running and having fun,” said Viloria, adding that he plans to climb the ring at around 114 lb.

“I plan to gain just six pounds and that’s all,” he said.

Tamara, according to Sanchez, will come in a little heavier than that, at around “115, 116 or 117.”

Notes: Solar Sports has put up a great card for this “Collision Course” that the country’s No. 1 sports channel has brought in a couple of Spanish-speaking commentators to work the fights. The card, which will feature 10 bouts, will begin at 9 a.m. and will be aired the rest of Asia, Middle East, United States and Mexico through different cable providers. Donnie Nietes, the reigning WBO minimumweight champion from Bacolod, will take on Mexico’s Jesus Silvestre, a last-minute replacement. The fight, however, has been declared a non-title bout because Silvestre is not ranked by the WBO. Some of the finest Pinoy boxers will be part of the show, including Dennis Laurente, Jimrex Jaca and Jason Pagara, who will be up against foreign foes. Dodie Boy Penalosa, son and namesake of the former world champion, will make his pro debut against Anthony Balubar of Vigan City (2-2-1) and will be out to make an impression, the way his father did in the world stage a few decades ago. The 19-year-old Penalosa used to be part of the Philippine amateur boxing team but decided to turn pro because he felt he wasn’t being given the chance and the proper break with the national team. Now he’s out to prove some people wrong.

Source: Abac Cordero  | Philstar.com

Viloria defends world crown

All eyes will be on world light-flyweight champion Brian Viloria and his ability to remain as a potent 108lb fighter when he takes on Carlos Tamara of Colombia in a 12-round title championship fight today at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The two-division champion Viloria, 29, has been dodging few but seemingly irksome issues about punishing himself to make the weight limit just to keep his International Boxing Federation (IBF) ligh-flyweight belt.

“Everybody thinks I’m crazy making the weight since I was 14 years old. I love the training camp and the situation there,” said Viloria, also a former world flyweight kingpin.

Nicknamed “The Hawaiian Punch”, Viloria (26-2, 15 knockouts) has been on a roll since hooking up with trainer Roberto Garcia and setting up most of his training camp at the La Colonia Boxing Club in Oxnard, California.

Viloria proved how comfortable he is in his division by easily making the weight in yesterday’s weigh-in held at the Manila Hotel.

While Viloria had an easy time to make the weight limit, 26 year-old Tamara (20-4, 14 KOs) needed almost half an hour to lose excess poundage to make the 108-pound limit.

Wearing a boxer brief, Tamara tipped in half a pound over the limit in his first try, but made the weight just the same after minutes of shadow boxing outside the hall.

Instead of being affected, Tamara’s coach Butch Sanchez sounded fired up about his fighter and even predicted a stoppage.

“I think late round stoppage,” Sanchez said. “But a decision is just fine. ‘W’ is just as good as stoppage.”

“I’ll just rest, eat and I might come in tomorrow (today) about six pounds heavier,” Viloria said.

Told about the Sanchez’s prediction, Viloria’s coach was all smile.

“If they think that way, then I’ll know were going to have a good fight. The fans are going to enjoy a great fight,” he said.

Garcia said Viloria’s power punch and tactical defense will spell the difference.

“Tamara is a smart fighter and he’s a little bit taller than Brian. He’s going to use his reach advantage but we know Brian is a great power puncher. We have 12 rounds to do our work,” Garcia said. “He’s a very talented fighter and he has a very good defense and he could make his opponents miss and he also hits hard. He even hits harder than a lot of featherweights. That’s the big advantage.”

If there’s one thing that motivates Tamara to do well in the fight, it’s the fact that he’s the heavy underdog.

“I love the fact that a lot of people here are not giving us a shot. It’s almost a dejavu for us. It feels good that a lot of people are thinking that Viloria is going to retain his title,” Sanchez said.

Viloria will be making the second defense of his IBF crown which he won via a scintillating 11th round stoppage of longtime ruler Ulisses Solis of Mexico April of last year at the Araneta Coliseum.

In the main supporting bout of the card dubbed “Collision Course”, WBO world minimumweight champion Donnie Nietes sees action in a non-title 10-round bout opposite Mexican knockout artist Jesus Silvestre (15-1, 12 KO’s).

The 27-year-old Nietes (25-1-3, 14 KO’s) wants to keep himself busy and stay on course in his own attempt to unify the 105lb division.

Also seeing action in the undercard is the much-awaited debut of Dodie Boy Penalosa, Jr. who will battle five-fight veteran Anthony Balubar in a six-round super bantamweight clash.

The event will be beamed live in the United States with the first bout set to start at 8 a.m.

Source: Francis Santiago  | Manila Bulletin

Brian sees fight going full route

MANILA, Philippines - Before last Wednesday’s press conference, the closest Brian Viloria has gotten to Carlos Tamara was in front of the television set, watching videos of the Colombian’s previous fights.

“I’ve seen videos and footages of him. That’s all,” said the Fil-Hawaiian champion who will stake his IBF light-flyweight crown against his younger, taller and hungrier opponent tomorrow at the Cuneta Astrodome.

They stayed close to one another during the Manila Hotel presscon, trading smiles and good words before then vowing to put on a show for the fans to enjoy. Viloria said he’d do anything to hold on to the crown.

“But Carlos is a tough fighter so I see the fight going 12 rounds, from the opening bell to the final bell,” said the 29-year-old Viloria, who said he can only start planning his immediate goals after this fight.

“As long as I get through Saturday,” said the 2000 Olympian,” then I can think about the future.”


At his age, Viloria said thoughts of retirement have crossed his mind. But he was quick to dispell the possibility because he feels he’s in the greatest shape possible after going through some rough sailing three years ago.

“I’ve been boxing since I was five, and that means I’ve been boxing for 24 years now. Of course there will come a point when I will feel I need to hang up my gloves, while I’m still young and able to walk,” he said.

“I will find the right time to retire. But right now I’m feeling great,” said Viloria, who has other options left outside of boxing, being a broadcast journalist major.

“Maybe I can do what you’re doing, asking questions to fighters or maybe I can be president of the United States,” he said chuckling. “But I will think about that when it materializes. Now I’m concentrating on being the best.”

That’s the reason why Viloria said he treats every fight like it was his last fight.

Tamara, just 26 and hungry to win a world title, trained hard for this fight, which he described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I’m mentally and physically prepared. I’m going to give it all and I’m prepared to bring home the title,” said Tamara who sees no problem him making 108 lb this morning during the official weigh-in at the Manila Hotel.

Tamara is also an Olympian, being there in 2004 in Athens. But like Viloria, known as “The Hawaiian Punch,” he failed to get past the second round. Still, it makes the fight even more exciting.

“Yes, we’re both Olympians. And it’s going to be a great fight for sure. It’s going to be exciting. I wish Tamara all the best.” said Viloria.

Source: Abac Cordero  | Philstar.com

Boxers should not set rules, Viloria says

The buzz about the cancelled Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. bout maybe over for now, but Brian Viloria is not yet done rattling off his take in the dream match that was billed as the richest in boxing history.

In a free-wheeling chat with reporters Wednesday, the reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-flyweight champion said Pacquiao made the right decision not to give into the demands of the Mayweather camp to conduct an Olympic-style of (random) blood testing – a kind of test beyond the ordinary.

The governing Nevada State Athletics only requires urine tests for the proposed March 13 fight in Las Vegas.

Both camps did not see eye to eye with the issue, prompting Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter to cancel the fight.

“It’s a shame for boxing that Mayweather had to go down to that point (demand a blood test). Boxers should not set laws or rules but rather abide by them,” Viloria said.

“I don’t see the point why fighters should demand ‘you have to do this and do that.’ The commission should have the authority and not the boxers dictating what another fighter needs to do.”

With the collapse of the negotiation, Pacquiao has been penciled to face Ghanaian Joshua Clottey whom he’ll face in an 80,000-capacity stadium in Dallas.

“Manny is the draw here. Mayweather thinks he’s the draw but nobody cares about him,” Viloria said.

Source: Francis Santiago  | Manila Bulletin

Confident Brian ready to thwart tough Mexican

MANILA, Philippines - Brian Viloria feels he’s never been in better shape for a fight, making him confident he can handle Carlos Tamara in his second defense of his IBF junior flyweight championship at the Cuneta Astrodome on Jan. 23.

“I’m a lot better from the last time I was here for the (Archie) Solis fight. I’ve improved so much from then. I’ve been improving from fight to fight,” said Viloria before a select group of local media at The Fort yesterday.

“I’m in great shape and I’m focused on this fight. I believe my chance to win is up there,” added Viloria, determined to get the win that could well prepare him for a unification bout with WBC light flyweight champion Ivan Calderon.

Viloria and some members of his team flew in from the United States Monday. His head trainer Roberto Garcia will follow Tuesday.

Assistant trainer and cut man Ruben Gomez said Viloria has a tough challenger in Tamara but they expect the Fil-Am champion to win.


“Tamara is very tough. He’s also an Olympian and has fought champion fighters going the distance. We expect a good fight. Brian would win using all knowledge and resources,” said Gomez.

“We’re confident because we’ve got the old Brian. He’s back as an aggressive fighter,” Gomez also said.

Viloria trained for the “Boxing at the Bay” headliner at the Oxnard Boxing Academy in Oxnard, California under the watchful eyes of Garcia and Gomez.

He’s done 36 rounds of sparring versus Eric Ruiz and Sergio Herrera in his last week in the US and will get a few more versus Denver Cuello at the Punch-Out Gym in Makati.

“I’m ready for the fight. We’re done with the training and we’ll just try to maintain my condition in this last few days before the fight,” said Viloria.

He said he’s never had a problem with the weight.

“I’m two pounds over the limit right now. But I can eat anything and make the weight (108 pounds) right tonight,” said Viloria.

Viloria, the former WBC light flyweight champion, won the IBF junior flyweight crown as he put in the best performance of his career to beat Solis on April 19, 2009 at the Araneta Coliseum.

“The Hawaiian Punch” won his first defense of the title four months later with a unanimous decision against Jesus Iribe.

Viloria has a fight record of 26 wins (14 by knockouts) against two losses.

Tamara, who is originally from Colombia but now trains out of New Jersey, is 20-4 with 14 knockouts. He is ranked No. 7 in the light flyweight division by the IBF.

In the undercard, WBO mimimumweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes will put his crown on the line against Jesus “Negrito” Silvestre of Mexico.

It will be Nietes’ fourth defense of the vacant title he claimed after whipping Thailand’s Pronsawan Porpramook in 2007.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Viloria, Nietes stake crowns in Bay card

MANILA, Philippines - A double championship featuring Filipino world titlists Brian Viloria and Donnie “Ahas” Nietes serves as the initial presentation of the Boxing at the Bay for the year 2010.

Viloria stakes his International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-flyweight crown against Carlos Tamara of Colombia, while Nietes puts his World Boxing Organization (WBO) minimumweight belt on the line against Mexican Sammy “Guty” Gutierrez in a pair of 12-round bouts on Jan. 23 at the Astrodome.

Solar Sports presents the regular boxing series that kicked off last October featuring rising ring prospect Drian Francisco scoring a 10th round stoppage of former two-time world champion Roberto Vazquez of Panama for the World Boxing Association (WBA) super-flyweight international title.

The Boxing at the Bay is the biggest boxing program in South East Asia today in the tradition of boxing shows like Top Rank Promotions’ Latin Fury and Pinoy Power.

But the fights will also be fed live via satellite to major parts of Asia, North and South America and a few countries in Europe.


Viloria has long been a byword in world boxing ever since competing in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and later, knocking out Eric Ortiz in a single round to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) light-flyweight crown.

Only last year, he added to his legend a sensational 11th round knockout win of durable Mexican Ulises Solis to wrest the IBF 108-pound title before an ecstatic weekend crowd at the Araneta Coliseum.

Four months after, the 29-year-old Fil-Am boxer made a successful defense of the IBF title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Jesus Iribe of Mexico in his first homecoming bout in Hawaii after five years.

On the other hand, Nietes is defending his WBO 105-pound belt for the fourth time since capturing the title three years ago with a unanimous 12-round decision over Thai Pornsawan Porpramook in Cebu City.

Just a year ago, the 27-year old pride of the famed ALA boxing gym traveled all the way to Mexico to stake his crown not once, but twice, successfully accomplishing the feat in opposite fashion.

First, he decisioned Eric Ramirez in their 12-round fight held in February that saw the Mexican knocked down a total four times. Seven months later, Nietes carved out a split decision against Manuel Vargas.

Since the boxing card was announced, tickets have been selling briskly.

Source: Author Unknown  | Philstar.com

KO of the Year: Pacquiao-Hatton

While the boxing world and even the sports world as a whole wait to see whether Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. can overcome their stalemate over the drug-testing protocol for their tentative March 13 fight, we can at least revel in one of the greatest moments of Pacquiao's storied career.

Already a five-division champion when he met Ricky Hatton, Pacquiao -- the Filipino idol coming off his destruction of Oscar De La Hoya -- was gunning for a title in a record-tying sixth division when he met "The Hitman" on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Hatton was the junior welterweight champion and unbeaten at 140 pounds, having lost only to Mayweather in a 2007 welterweight title fight.

The excitement was palpable in Vegas. Some 25,000 British Hatton fans had crossed the pond to party like it was 1999, and a sold-out arena of 16,262 -- mostly Hatton supporters -- rocked the house, including verse after verse of their "There's Only One Ricky Hatton" song.

They didn't celebrate for long.

The much faster Pacquiao dropped Hatton hard twice in the opening round and finished him in ruthless fashion in the second round with one of the greatest knockouts in recent memory. It was the obvious choice for the 2009 ESPN.com Knockout of the Year.

Just as the 10-second warning sounded to signal the end of the round was coming, Pacquiao unleashed a full-leverage perfect left hand that crashed into Hatton's chin and knocked him stiff. Hatton fell sideways, going down hard and hitting his head on the canvas. He came to rest flat on his back in the center of the ring, his arms at his sides and his body perfectly aligned on the Rockstar Energy Drink logo.

"Boom! Oh, my gosh! What a straight left hand," HBO's Jim Lampley exclaimed. "And will Hatton make it up from this, or is that it? No way. That is that. What an amazing knockout shot. That is the most spectacular one-punch shot of Manny Pacquiao's incredible career!"

While a joyous Pacquiao celebrated with his team, Hatton was visibly gasping for air as referee Kenny Bayless kneeled beside him. He immediately called off the fight with one second left in the round and attempted to extricate Hatton's mouthpiece as his family looked on in horror from ringside.

"I really didn't see the punch coming, but it was a great shot," Hatton said after being examined by ringside medical personnel and regaining his senses.

The following afternoon, Pacquiao watched a DVD of the fight for the first time with about 15 people in his hotel suite at Mandalay Bay. When the knockout punch landed, Pacquiao turned to a reporter sitting next to him and said unprompted: "Yeah, it's a good shot. I felt it on my knuckles."

Then the reporter asked Pacquiao whether he thought it would hold up as the knockout of the year.

"Yeah, I think so," Pacquiao answered.

Now he knows it.

Brian Viloria KO11 Ulises Solis (April 19 at Manila, Philippines)

Viloria sure lived up to his nickname -- "The Hawaiian Punch" -- as he obliterated Solis with a single right hand to the chin to win a junior flyweight title with four seconds left in the round. Viloria got awesome leverage on the shot, turning into it with all his might. Solis went down to all fours and put his forehead on the canvas. Then he rolled over on his back, struggled to a sitting position and eventually went back to the mat, where medical personnel rushed to his side and gave him oxygen.

Juan Manuel Marquez KO9 Juan Diaz (Feb. 28 at Houston)

This was one of the year's best fights. It also featured several candidates for best round, and it ended with one of the year's best knockouts. Marquez, the lightweight champ, came to Diaz's hometown to defend against the former titleholder, and they waged a tremendous battle that ended with the exclamation point of a big Marquez knockout blow.

Marquez had found a home for his effective uppercut early in the highly competitive fight. With Diaz bleeding from a cut in the eighth, Marquez began to take over and, in the ninth, finished off Diaz. Marquez initially dropped Diaz face-first into the ropes with an uppercut. Moments later, he splattered Diaz in the middle of the ring with a series of blows capped by -- what else? -- a murderous right uppercut as referee Rafael Ramos immediately waved off the fight.

"What you just saw was a really good young fighter knocked out by a great old fighter," HBO's Max Kellerman said, describing the scene at ringside.

Shane Mosley TKO9 Antonio Margarito (Jan. 24 at Los Angeles)

Mosley, who had been hammering Margarito (sans illegal padding that had been discovered in Margarito's mitts in the dressing room before the fight) all night, had finally dropped him at the very end of the eighth round. As the ninth round began, Mosley continued his assault.

"This fight could be stopped any second now," HBO's Jim Lampley blared. "Margarito is getting hit flush with every right hand!" After eating a few more shots, Margarito crumpled again in a corner as referee Raul Caiz moved in to stop the fight.

"Shane Mosley has annihilated Antonio Margarito," Lampley exclaimed. Given the reputation Margarito had for an indestructible chin, it was a stunning scene. Mosley, who won the welterweight title again in an upset, had closed the show in style, outlanding Margarito 21-0 in the ninth round.

Source: ESPN Go

Nonito Donaire Jr. responds to "bashing" from Viloria's camp

"I just don't see what the big deal or problem is. Robert Garcia will be my strategist, and I am happy to add his expertise to my team to help advise me for my next fight. Garcia is one of the great boxing minds we have in the sport and I'm sure any fighter would love to have him in his corner. Jonathan Penalosa and Mike Bazzel are still part of my team and they will focus on my conditioning. I think it's a great move and I am honored Robert took in my request despite his busy schedule training world champions like my friend Steven Luevano,"
That was Nonito Donaire Jr.'s response to news spreading on the internet after Brian Viloria's live-in girlfriend posted some strong words against Donaire after announcing the hiring of Brian Viloria's current trainer Robert Garcia.

The website Boxer's Camp reported the story in an article and quoted Erica Navarro's post on the popular social networking site Facebook saying, "Navarro blasted a certain fighter for hiring a certain trainer. Navarro and her friends went as far as calling this fighter names, including loser and copycat. Boxing insiders believe that she is referring to Donaire and his move on hiring Roberto Garcia, Viloria’s trainer, as part of his team."

The Boxing Truth also quoted Donaire responding to the harsh statements saying, “I didn't think I was stepping on any one's toes hiring Robert. Just like Freddie (Roach), I figured Robert could coach whoever he wanted. I mean he coaches my friend, Steven Luevano, a world champion, as well."

In response, Viloria wrote on his Twitter page in response to The Boxing Truth article, "My concern was, I didn't want Robert to get spreaded out too thin like what happened with Freddie & I. We had an understanding."

It's not news to anybody that follows Philippines boxing that Donaire and Viloria has some kind of history that became public when Donaire had some harsh words against Viloria that hit Youtube saying "The Hawaiian Punch was not on his level," back in 2007. Personally I thought they have squashed their beef as shown in this video below when Nonito Donaire Jr. even wrapped his arms around Viloria inviting him on the podium during the Pacquiao-Hatton post fight press conference to be recognized as a fellow champion.

Donaire also said, “Well I guess there is still some bad blood then. I apologized already for saying that he wasn't on my level and explained that I was just cutting weight and tired when that interview came.”

Personally, I admire both fighters for their brilliance inside the ring and I hope somehow they could mend their end completely outside the ring. If they can't, how delicious is a Donaire-Viloria match-up? I know some of you might scoff at the idea, but just like how we used to settle our differences back in my hood in the Philippines, we just shut up, knuckle up and be done with it. Now, I am not about to start a fight between these two, I am simply reporting what I've read and heard, but a fight between two of the country's finest might just be what the Philippines need to show the world how much more talent really there is coming from the country other than Manny Pacquiao. Think along the lines of Morales-Barrera. Catch my drift?
As much as I can sympathize with Donaire for being offended by the statements from Viloria's camp, all I can say is that I think the Garcia hiring is a smart move. He can definitely gain a lot from the former world champion and veteran of the sport. As for Viloria, I think Garcia would not compromise his services to any of his fighters, he after all trains other fighters as well. He's a pro and I'm sure he knows what he is doing.

In the words of the famous song, "Can't we all just get along?"

Source: eXaminer.com

Donaire hooks up with Viloria's trainer for title defense

Nonito “The Filipino Flash" Donaire, Jr. has hooked up with the trainer of compatriot Brian Viloria for his defense of the World Boxing Association interim super flyweight title against Mexico’s Gerson Guerrero on Feb. 13 in Las Vegas.

Donaire (22-1, 14 KOs) said Garcia, a former IBF super featherweight champion turned trainer, will help prepare his “mental game" against Guerrero (34-8 26 KOs).

The Peñalosa brothers, Jonathan and Dodie Boy, who trained Donaire when he won the WBA interim crown over an overweight Rafael Concepcion of Panama last August, will still be around and will join hands with Mike Bazzel in whipping Donaire into shape for the bout.

“I added Robert Garcia to the team as the mental part of my game," Donaire wrote in his latest blog posted on his official website.

“The Peñalosas are still with me and I respect them very much. But they will be working on my boxing conditioning, as well as Mike Bazzel working on my conditioning. I know people got confused. But Garcia is a very smart coach and I believe we can take my game to the next level together," he added.

Garcia, who also counts Steven Luevano, Victor Ortiz and Joan Guzman among his fighters, is credited for guiding Viloria back to the boxing elite. Under Garcia, Viloria managed to rediscover his competitive fire and snag the IBF light-flyweight strap from long-time champ Ulises Solis last April via 11th round KO last April. He retained the strap with his unanimous decision disposal of Mexico’s Jesus Iribe four months later in Hawaii.

Donaire will topbill Pinoy Power 3 at the Las Vegas Hilton, a power-packed card that also features veteran Gerry Peñalosa against Eric Morel in a WBO bantamweight eliminator; Ciso Morales against WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel; and Bernabe Concepcion against Puerto Rico’s Mario Santiago in a 10-round featherweight showdown.

Viloria headlines Solar card at Cuneta

In a bold move to bring Las Vegas-style boxing to the country, Solar Sports plans to stage four to five cards here next year and give Filipino fans the opportunity to witness champions and rising stars in live action.

Solar chief operating officer Peter Chanliong said after recently signing Manny Pacquiao to a contract extension up to 2013 for the exclusive TV rights to his bouts, the network decided to put more emphasis on the “Boxing at the Bay” series which began with unbeaten superflyweight Drian Francisco’s 10th round demolition of Panama’s Roberto Vasquez at the Cuneta Astrodome last October.

Chanliong said Solar pre-terminated its Top Rank contract with two years left for “economic” reasons because it now made more business sense to shift business strategies to concentrate on Pacquiao and stage live events in the country.

“We talked with (Top Rank chairman) Bob Arum about it and we agreed it was to our mutual benefit to move forward with this shift in strategy,” said Chanliong. “Bob eventually signed a deal with ABS-CBN for his Top Rank fights. However, we remain closely involved with Bob and Top Rank in relation to Manny’s fights.”

Solar’s strategic shift, however, does not preclude its involvement in other overseas fights involving either Filipino or foreign fighters. For instance, it will continue to support former WBO superflyweight champion Marvin Sonsona’s fights here or abroad.

While Solar has the exclusive rights to Pacquiao’s fights until 2013, its contract to link up with the GMA network for the free TV airing of the icon’s bouts ends in two years.

Solar is no stranger to live events. Last April, it staged the highly successful “Fast and the Furious” card where Brian Viloria and Nonito Donaire shared top billing at the Araneta Coliseum. Then, it co-produced a big show in Honolulu headlining Viloria’s defense of his IBF lightflyweight crown against Mexico’s Jesus Iribe last August.

Solar vice president Ralph Roy said the “Boxing at the Bay” series got off to a strong start with Francisco’s disposal of Vasquez and will be a continuing program to highlight promising Filipino fighters and world titlists.

The first “Boxing at the Bay” show next year will feature Viloria taking on Colombian challenger Carlos Tamara and WBO minimumweight champion Donnie Nietes facing Mexico’s Ivan (Pollito) Meneses in the fourth defense of his 105-pound crown on Jan. 23 at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The double world championship card will be held on a Saturday morning to catch the live US pay-per-view audience on prime time.

“If our fights are at 12 noon, it’ll be 8 p.m. in Los Angeles and 11 p.m. in New York so we’ll be able to reach both the US West and East Coasts on prime time,” said Roy. “Our whole idea is to bring Las Vegas to the Philippines. Only a few Filipinos are able to fly to Las Vegas to watch our Filipino fighters in world title bouts so we’re turning things around.”

Viloria, 29, will meet Tamara, 26, in a rare battle of Olympians. Viloria fought in the 2000 Sydney Games while Tamara saw action in Athens four years later.

Viloria has not lost in his last seven outings and is making the second defense of the IBF crown he wrested from Ulises Solis on a sensational 11th round knockout at the Araneta Coliseum last April. His record is 26-2, with 15 KOs.

Tamara, ranked No. 7 by the IBF, has won his last three outings. His record is 20-4, with 14 KOs. He holds a win over Alejandro Hernandez who fought Sonsona to a draw in Canada recently.

Nietes, 27, has repulsed challengers Eddy Castro, Erik Ramirez and Manuel Vargas since claiming the vacant WBO title by outpointing Thailand’s Pornsawan Porpramook in Cebu two years ago. His record is 25-1-3, with 14 KOs.

Meneses is ranked No. 11 by the WBO, No. 8 by the WBC and No. 11 by the WBA. A hard-hitter, he knocked out Giovanny Delgado in one round, Sergio Diaz in two and dropped Jose Figueroa twice en route to a win on points last June. His record is 14-5-1, with eight KOs.

“We can’t take Meneses lightly,” said ALA Boxing Gym owner Tony Aldeguer whose son Michael is Nietes’ registered manager. “But Donnie is used to fighting Mexicans even at their own turf. Donnie will go for a knockout as he usually does. His biggest asset is his mental toughness and great attitude.”

Nietes went to Mexico to beat hometowners Ramirez and Vargas in his last two defenses. Ramirez was floored four times in losing a decision while Vargas lost via a split decision. Nietes narrowly survived home cooking in beating Vargas as one judge saw it 116-112 for the Mexican while the other two scored it 118-110 and 116-110 for the Filipino.