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Tuesday, April 18, 2000
Viloria close
to a spot on
Olympic team
The Waipahu boxer has to win
By Pat Bigold
one more bout to qualify
for U.S. squad
Star-BulletinWaipahu's Brian Viloria will have to defeat a two-time Olympian from Canada tomorrow if he is to wrap up a berth on the U.S. boxing team headed to Sydney.
The 5-foot-4 Viloria, 19, will face 5-3 Domenic Filane, 31, in a four-round 106-pound bout at the Central American qualifier in Tijuana, Mexico.
Viloria seeks to become the first Hawaii boxer to make the Olympic team since territorial days. He advanced yesterday by decisioning Wilfrido Valdes of Colombia, 12-5.
Filane lost an 11-1 decision to Mexico's Liborio Romero in the opening round of the Americas Olympic Qualifier in Tampa, Fla., on March 27.
Viloria defeated Romero in the next round with a close 10-8 decision.
His upset loss (first in 20 fights) to Puerto Rico's Ivan Calderon in the semifinals forced him to fight in Tijuana. But if Viloria wins tomorrow, he will go to Sydney, no matter what happens in the finals.
It will be the first meeting between Viloria and Filane.
"I've seen tapes on him and a couple of guys I've beaten have gotten to him, but I'm not going to take him for granted," said Viloria.
"I see him as a runner who tries to move around with his hands high, leaving his body a little exposed. So I will try to go to the body early."
