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BoxingInsider.com - Biofiles
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Brian Viloria
BoxingInsider.com Exclusive
Biofile Published by Scoop Malinowski
Last Updated on April 10th, 2008
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Status: Flyweight boxer on the rise.

Ht: 5-4 Wt: 112

Born On: Nov. 24, 1980 In: Hawaii

Childhood Heroes: “Jesus Salud, Andy Ganigan.”

Nicknames: Killer B, Hawaiin Punch, Little Mike Tyson.

Hobbies/Interests: “I love doing new stuff. Music. I’m really into music. Playing the guitar. Trying to teach myself to play the piano now. Love going on the computer, internet. Photography. Doing other sports, tennis, ping pong. My manager Gary (Gittlesohn) just introduced me to golf. The first time I hit a golf ball, I hit it like 150 yards. So I adapted to it really well.”

Early Boxing Memory: “First match ever when I was seven. 55 lbs. When I stepped into that ring, I remember just closing my eyes and I just started swinging windmill motion. And next thing I know, I beat the guy who had like 20 fights and was undefeated. I have a tape of that fight. And I watch it now and think, Wow, I’ve come such a long way! But that’s what got me stuck on boxing. I really loved boxing after that fight.”

Pre-Fight Feeling: “Just go through a mental videotape of how the fight’s gonna go. Just relaxing. Keeping off my feet. Prepare for that fight with a mental positive thought in my head. Plan every punch I’m gonna throw. It’s 90% a mental game. Staredown, look directly in his eyes. See how he reacts…scared or confident. Study him by his eyes.”

Pre-Fight Meal: “Lots of carbs, lots of spaghetti, a lot of fluids, water.”

Favorite Movies: “I love Scarface. Sci-fi flicks like The Matrix, Blade 2.”

Musical Tastes: “I love everything from classical to rock to Limp Bizkit, Hip-hop, underground, Living Legends, Wu Tang Clan, Alicia Keys, jazz, everything. Just love everything.”

Funny Boxing Memory: “In amateurs. I don’t know if this is funny but. Back in the Junior Olympics, I fought an international match against a guy from Canada. And joking, I said to my friend, I’m gonna knock this guy out with my first punch. When I fought the guy, he actually ran into my jab, and he flew and he got knocked down. It was crazy. I didn’t think it was gonna happen. I tried doing it again but it didn’t happen [laughs].”

Favorite Meal: “Vietnamese Pho – noodles mixed with lots of herbs and vegetables.”

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: “Kelloggs Tony the Tiger.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Love vanilla.”

First Job: “First time I ever got paid was a check for $300. For like seven hours of work. I did a little TV movie scene (in ‘The Lost City of Atlantis’). I acted out a little boxing scene (age 14). The gym requested that I go down and do it. I enjoyed it.”

First Car: “2000 white Toyota Solara.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “When I won the 1999 world championship. When I beat the Cuban (Miakro Romero) in Houston. He was Olympic gold medallist in 1996. It was really a mental game that fight. It was a really interesting fight for me. He beat me back in ’97. So it was like payback in ’99. He was unstoppable going into ’99…’96 gold medallist, ’97 world champion, Goodwill Games champ. He was like undefeated for like eight years. When I got in the ring I was like the most nervous kid there. But I was just trying to throw a lot of punches, moving and throwing, moving and throwing.”

Most Painful Moment: “Is when I lost in the QF of the Olympics (2000). I thought the scoring could have been better. Considering I was the gold medal favorite and having the judges take it away from me. I thought, Why? It was painful but I got over it in due time. And it was just another experience. They kind of robbed me of 10-12 body punches. I lost to the guy from France. He eventually took the gold medal.”

Favorite Boxers To Watch: “Shane Mosley, Oscar De La Hoya, Vernon Forrest.”

Favorite Vacation Spot: “I’m from Hawaii. So I can’t say Hawaii [smiles]. I would love to go back to Sydney, Australia. I loved Australia. I have to go back there.”

People Most Admired: “People just being themselves. Humble people who are not too flamboyant. Just to be normal. People who respect other people…I will respect them because of that.”


 

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