Perfect Viloria progressing
toward another local fight

Nothing should come easy In a boxer's professional infancy.

But sometimes, like in the case of Waipahu's Brian Viloria, there is nothing a manger can do to make it tough enough.

Viloria is perfect as a professional and will put his 4-0 record on the line in a six-round flyweight affair against lightly regarded Antonio Perez on the undercard of HBO's New Year's Brawl tonight in San Antonio, Texas. Only the main event, a Jesse James Leija-Micky Ward junior welterweight bout, will be televised by the network.

Perez is 5-5-1 but has not won a fight since knocking out newcomer Jose Lazaro in Feb. 1998. He is 0-5-1 since then, but has not been knocked out in more than two years. That is exactly why he was selected as Viloria's next victim.

"We wanted to bring in a guy who would bring Brian to the next level, someone Brian would not be able to blow up in the first round," Gary Gittelsohn, Viloria's manager said. "Brian needs to learn that he can't overpower everyone. We fully expect him to win, but I'd be shocked if he knocked him out early. He (Perez) is very awkward and very durable, I have seen this guy take a lot of punishment."

Gittelsohn says that he plans on keeping Viloria busy, testing himself against as many styles as he can. And being seen by as many people as he can.

"We are going to keep him busy fighting every five weeks," Gittelsohn said. "I am trying to keep him on big television cards like this one, where all of the major boxing scribes are here and can see him."

Part of that plan is bringing Viloria back to the Islands at least once a year, as early as March. Viloria won his first professional fight in may with six round decision over Ben Jun Escobia, but broke his right hand and had to stay out of the ring for four months. He has fought three times in the 3 1/2 months since then.

But Viloria has progressed enough that if he does return in March, it probably won't be against a local fighter even though it would be cheaper for local promoters.

"I don't know of anyone on the island he could fight," Gittelsohn said. "I don't know of anyone (Locally) who even approaches him and could keep him on his development. We have already started discussions for a date in March either on ESPN or local cable. He is too popular, has too big of a following on the islands, to not take advantage of it."

Tonight will be only Viloria's fifth pro fight after 238 as an amateur -- he won 230 of them -- but the Olympian has already got people taking notice.

Gittelsohn was asked a question that he had never heard before last night:

"John Whisler, a writer for the San Antonio (Express-News), asked in all seriousness when Brian will be ready to fight for a title," Gittelsohn said. "I kind of laughed it off -- he (Viloria) just turned 21 and is in no hurry -- but it shows how people in the boxing community are taking notice. I just had dinner with Larry Merchant because he is so anxious to see Brian fight. Everything is going according to plan."

First day of 'Bow Invite yields no qualifying times

Day one of the Duke Kahanamoku Sprint Meet saw some of Hawaii's fastest times but no qualifiers for the NCAA meet.

The competition is not scored but times are kept should an athlete qualify for the championships.

The Hawaii men's team got their best 200 medley time of the season, swimming a 1:34.48 to beat their old time of 1:36.25.

Newcomers Nimrod Palma, Tudor Ignat, Kurt Boehm and Cheyne Block made up the team.