Viloria-Romero wala munang rematch

MANILA, Philippines - Pansamantala munang kakalimutan ni world light flyweight champion Brian “The Hawaiin Punch” Viloria ang pagganti kay Mexican Omar Niño Romero.

Bumagsak kahapon ang negosasyon kay International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 4 challenger na si Romero para sa posible sanang rematch nila ni Viloria.

At dahilan rito, maaaring utusan ng IBF ang light flyweight titlist na si Viloria para sagupain si No. 8 Carlos Tamara ng Colombia.

“He is coming out of an injury and is recovering from the flu and he doesn’t feel he should take the fight,” ani Hector Garcia, promoter ni Romero, kay IBF Championships Chairman Lindsey Tucker.

Nakatakda sanang idepensa ni Viloria ang kanyang IBF crown laban kay Romero sa Disyembre 5 sa Cuneta Astrodome sa Pasay City.

“They gave us a number, we sent a contract and they didn’t sign it,” sabi naman ni Gary Gittelsohn, manager ni Viloria, sa kampo ni Romero. “We were bewildered by his silence after his people indicated that they wanted a certain amount of money and we met his demands.”

Laban kay Tamara, ibabandera ng 28-anyos na si Viloria, inagawan ni Romero ng World Boxing Council (WBC) light flyweight title via unanimous decision noong 2007, ang 26-2-0 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 15 KOs.

Ito ang magiging ikalawang sunod na title defense ni Viloria, tinalo si Mexican Ulises “Archie’ Solis via 11th-round TKO noong Abril 19, 2009 sa Araneta Coliseum, matapos biguin si Mexican challenger Jesus “Azul” Iribe mula sa isang unanimous decision noong Agosto 29 sa Hawaii.

Dinadala ng 26-anyos na si Tamara, natalo sa second round kay Italian pug Alfonso Pinto sa 2004 Olympic Games sa Athens, Greece, ang 19-4 (14 KOs) slate. (Russell Cadayona)