Viloria goes big
against Hurtado

The flyweight from Waipahu will
take on a bantamweight fighter
in Las Vegas

For Brian Viloria, the toughest fight he has had lately is finding flyweights willing to climb into the ring with him.

So the Waipahu flyweight will take on bigger opponents until someone his own size comes along. Viloria is scheduled to meet Reynaldo Hurtado at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Dec. 4.

Viloria's North American Boxing Federation title will not be on the line because he solved his problem of lack of activity -- he has only fought twice in the past 16 months -- by taking on a bigger opponent.

Hurtado usually fights as a bantamweight (115 pounds to Viloria's usual 112) and stands 7 inches taller than Viloria.

Viloria's fight will be on the undercard of the Jose Luis Castillo-Joel Casamayor fight televised by Showtime, but the flyweight's bout will not be shown.

"This is just a keep-busy fight," team Viloria manager Gary Gittelsohn said. "He fits Brian's style, and Brian is going to have to get inside him. Brian won't be able to box him."

Hurtado, 37, went the distance with Jose Navarro last year and survived six rounds with Fernando Montiel in September. He is 36-6-1, (27 KOs), but won 13 straight fights before those two losses.

It will be the Las Vegas debut for both fighters.

Viloria (15-0, 9 KOs) is using the bout as a tune-up for the title fight he has been chasing since the World Boxing Council ordered him to fight No. 1 contender Luis Maldonado for the right to face Pongsaklek Wonjongkam for the flyweight belt.

Gittelsohn says that he wants Wonjongkam regardless of whether Maldonado cooperates.

"Maldonado seems to be doing everything in his power to not fight Brian, including fighting for less money in Mexicali," Gittelsohn said. "I intend to write a letter to the WBC to hopefully move Brian ahead of Maldonado. That's where we stand."