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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, November 17, 2006

Viloria hopes to get belt back tomorrow

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

The thing Waipahu boxer Brian Viloria wants to do most in his bout against Omar Nino tomorrow is change.

As in change the ownership of the World Boxing Council light flyweight championship.

Viloria and Nino will meet for the title tomorrow at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The bout will be televised nationally on pay-per-view.

It is a rematch of an Aug. 10 fight that resulted in a stunning upset. Nino, who was listed as much as a 15-to-1 underdog on some Internet sites, took the WBC belt from Viloria with a 12-round unanimous decision.

It was the first loss of Viloria's career.

"Obviously, that loss was completely unexpected," said Gary Gittelsohn, Viloria's manager. "Brian should have dominated from the opening bell, and he knows it. Brian wanted nothing but a rematch ever since that fight. He didn't want any intervening fights, and fortunately, Nino's camp was all for it."

In an effort to change, Viloria underwent a change in trainers.

Freddie Roach, who has been the head trainer for all of Viloria's professional bouts, has not been working with Viloria for the past three months.

Instead, Viloria has been training with a new "team" based in Los Angeles, according to Gittelsohn. Among the new trainers are Mario Morales, Racket Flores, Joe Hernandez and Ruben Gomez.

"There's a team of guys, and they all offer something different, and they're able to devote the time and attention Brian needs for a championship bout," Gittelsohn said.

Roach also trains Manny Pacquiao, who will be featured in tomorrow's main event against Erik Morales.

"Freddie had to focus on Manny Pacquiao, which is understandable," Gittelsohn said. "But I didn't want Brian to get lost in that. It's nothing against Freddie, and we hope Freddie will again work with Brian in the future. But for Brian's needs now, we had to find a different atmosphere."

Viloria is 19-1 with 12 knockouts. He won the WBC light flyweight (108 pounds) championship with a knockout of Eric Ortiz on Sept. 10, 2005.

The loss to Nino was his second title defense.

Nino, who is from Mexico, is 24-2-1 with 10 knockouts.

Viloria is listed as a 2-to-1 favorite for tomorrow's bout.

"You might see a different strategy out of Brian for this fight, but not a different fighter," Gittelsohn said. "You have to remember, Brian was a world champion before that last fight. He knows how to win at this level, and he wants to prove it again."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.