Viloria Bids for Third World Boxing Title

By Fred Guzman

Brian Viloria is Hawaii’s greatest contemporary boxer, and no one even comes close.

The now 30-year-old native of Waipahu not only represented the United States in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but he’s also a former two-time world champion at the professional level.

But local fight fans  tend to overlook Viloria’s many accomplishments because he hardly has competed on home turf.

That will change Saturday night as Viloria – the former IBF and WBC light flyweight champion – seeks to add the WBO flyweight belt to his collection when he faces title-holder Julio Cesar Miranda of Mexico at the Blaisdell Arena.

Viloria brings a career mark of 28-3 with 16 knockouts into the bout.  He last fought in Hawaii in August 2000, earning a unanimous decision over Jesus Iribe.  Viloria has won won back-to-back fights after losing the IBF belt in a 12th-round TKO loss to Carlos Tamara last January.

The 31-year-old Miranda is 35-5-1 with 28 knockouts.  He posted a fifth-round TKO victory over Richie Mepranum to win the belt last June.

The card features five bouts and will be available on Oceanic pay-per-view on the neighbor islands only.  Check you local TV listings for times and price.