Romero, 30, was virtually hand-picked by the Viloria camp because on paper, his style would bring out the viciousness the "Hawaiian Punch" displayed in bludgeoning Eric Ortiz for the 108-pound title last year. He was supposed to boost Viloria’s stock which took a slight dip after he failed to stop previous challenger Jose Antonio Aguirre and settled for a win on points last February.
A source said Romero wasn’t even the original choice to face Viloria. Trainer Freddie Roach reportedly rejected a first choice, an awkward southpaw who was considered a lot more dangerous. Romero was picked because he was a "safe" opponent–slow, light-hitting and tailor-made for Viloria.
But Romero caught Viloria at his worst. Nobody expected Viloria to fight listlessly. Certainly not the oddsmakers who installed the Filipino-Hawaiian an overwhelming 14-1 favorite.
In between rounds, Roach pleaded for Viloria to pick up the pace, jab, throw combinations, work the body, show aggressiveness and pressure Romero. It appeared like Viloria understood Roach’s instructions, nodding his head, but the words just entered one ear and out the other.
As the fight progressed and Romero kept piling up the points, Roach became increasingly exasperated. During a break, he resorted to slapping Viloria lightly on the cheek to wake him up. Once, Roach even asked Viloria’s father Ben, standing on the ring apron outside the ropes, to knock some sense into the fighter’s head.
Viloria, 25, was clearly not himself and seemed to be in another world.
After the fight, Viloria admitted he knew his title was slipping away in the last few rounds but just shrugged it off with a sigh as if to say "it’s not the end of the world." Not that he didn’t try to beat Romero. Viloria said he tried but just couldn’t get it done.
Viloria was visibly distracted during the fight. His mind was somewhere else. Could it be that he’s in love?
Someone said Viloria had asked for five fight tickets to give to a special friend and her companions but they never showed up. Was that why before the fight began, Viloria repeatedly looked into the crowd to check if she had arrived? And since she wasn’t around, did it bother Viloria?
Last year, Viloria regularly dated a Japanese-American aspiring movie actress who’s appearing in the third "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie but the relationship never prospered.
Now, he’s seeing a someone new, a Filipina living in Seattle. Viloria said recently marriage is not a priority at the moment. It’s something two people work on and in time, agree to do, he said, regardless of whether they’re of different religious or ethnic background.
The problem is Viloria’s father disapproves of the girl although the source said he is quick to qualify he’ll embrace anyone his son loves. Viloria’s father, naturally, wants only the best for his son, the oldest of three children.
Viloria and his father live together in Los Angeles while the rest of the family is in Hawaii. Viloria’s father has devoted his entire life and sacrificed his own professional career to be with his son, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Unlike Manny Pacquiao, Viloria hasn’t gotten rich from boxing. He hasn’t even tasted a $100,000 payday despite two title defenses. That’s because there’s little media interest in the lightflyweight class.
However, the emergence of World Boxing Association champion Koki Kameda has suddenly brought attention to the division which Dodie Boy Peñalosa once ruled. With Japanese resources, a Viloria fight against Kameda would mean a huge paycheck. It’s an opportunity that could light up a fire in Viloria’s belly.
But money is not a motivation for Viloria. To him, life isn’t just dollars and cents. Viloria isn’t hung up on material wealth, knows the value of a good education and will never allow himself to be swallowed up by the intrigue, sleaziness and double-dealing in the fight game.
Viloria is aware that there’s more to life than a championship, riches and fame.
At this point, Viloria is searching for something meaningful in his existence. Is it time for him to settle down and start a family? Has he lost the passion to fight in the ring because he’s in love?
Viloria is a man of many talents. He is gifted with intelligence and physical skills. Whatever it is he wants out of life, he has the capacity to make it happen.
Viloria lost the WBC title almost by default. That night, beating Romero wasn’t important anymore.
But when Viloria realizes that falling in love and fighting for a living aren’t mutually exclusive, he might just return to the ring with a vengeance. When and if that happens, Kameda had better be forewarned. Viloria has the heart of a champion and no woman can take that away from him.