Viloria fight date set

The Waipahu boxer will be on undercard
of rematch between Ward and Gatti

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By Jerry Campany
jcampany@starbulletin

Mickey Ward won't be the only one looking for redemption on HBO.

Waipahu's Brian Viloria (9-0, 6 KOs) has agreed to appear on the undercard of Ward's rematch with Arturo Gatti in Atlantic City, N.J., Nov. 23. The event is already nearing a sellout because Ward decisioned Gatti on May 18 in a bloodbath that HBO analyst Jim Lampley called one of the three best fights he's ever seen.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for Brian," Viloria's manager Gary Gittelsohn said. "I want him to get used to an audience like this so that it will make it easier on him when it is his time to shine."

Viloria expects to fight in either the contest preceding the main event or the one before that.

Although the main event will be televised nationally, the undercard will only be available on HBO's international feed.

Viloria does not have an opponent yet, but Gittelsohn said that he has extended an offer to Alberto Rossel.

Viloria fought Rossel to a no contest July 26 after an accidental head butt opened a gash on Rossel's eye. The fight was initially ruled a draw before Gittelsohn got it overturned by the West Virginia Boxing Commission. It would have been the only blemish on Viloria's 10 fight professional career, and he wanted to do something about it.

"It certainly is unfinished business for Brian," Gittelsohn said. "I tried to explain to him that it wasn't his fault, that he would have stopped him anyway, but Brian said to me that night 'I'd like to get him back.' "

Should Rossel (11-4, 4 KOs) decline the opportunity, Gittelsohn says he has a pending invitation out to Alejandro Moreno of Mexico. Moreno is coming off a 10-round loss by decision to Ivan Calderon in July.

Viloria won the North American Boxing Federation's flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Javier Lagos on Aug. 30, but it is unclear if that belt or his World Boxing Commission Youth Title would be on the line.

Also, Olympic super heavyweight champion Audley Harrison will make his U.S. debut against an undetermined opponent in Atlantic City on the card.