BOXING
Ruling gives Viloria title shot
The WBC strips Nino of the belt due to a positive drug test
MEXICO CITY » The WBC declared the light flyweight champion belt up for grabs yesterday, stripping Mexico's Omar Nino of the title for testing positive for methamphetamine following a Nov. 18 bout in Las Vegas.
Brian Viloria of Waipahu, currently ranked first in the weight class, will fight second-ranked Edgar Sosa of Mexico for the title, the WBC said.
"I'm content," Team Viloria manager Gary Gittlesohn said. "I would have liked them to award the belt to Brian automatically, but I don't think it's unfair to ask Brian to fight the highest-rated contender."
Sosa (26-5, 14 KOs) has won his last 14 fights, half of them by knockout. His last loss came to current International Boxing Federation light flyweight boss Ulises Solis in 2003, and he hasn't been stopped since 2001. Sosa lost to Nino by unanimous decision in 2002, making the stripped champion unbeaten against both challengers. If his hearing goes well, Nino may have another shot at his belt.
"In light of the fact that the WBC believes that Nino did not voluntarily commit this infraction, and considering that his clean record has won him the trust of this organization ... we are declaring that Nino will be the challenger for whoever is the new champion," a WBC statement said.