Viloria now halfway in training in Los Angeles vs Mexican challenger

LOS ANGELES/MANILA — A little more than a month before staking his World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight belts, Filipino titleholder Brian Viloria has been pronounced 50 per cent ready and will peak come fight night against Mexican challenger Juan Francisco Estrada on April 6 in the gambling city of Macau.
Filipino trainer Marvin Somodio, who has been assisting chief handler Freddie Roach in Viloria’s build up program,  said the Fil-American, monickered “The Hawaiian Punch,” has been responding well to the training regimen charted by Roach in his Wild Card Gym.

The initial program consists of running at the mountainous Griffith Park in downtown Hollywood, punching the mitts and sparring against two boxers, including two-time Chinese Olympic gold medalist, Zou Shiming.
“Of course, madagdagan ang frequency ng programa habang tumatagal. But as of now, mild muna para hindi mabigla. Next week until before we leave for Macau pabigat na nang pabigat ang ensayo,” Somodio explained in a PNA report.
“We started our training as soon as I came back here middle of January and Brian has been very religious in following all the instructions given to him,” Somodio said.
“Napakaganda ang aming training camp dito sa Wild Card at sobrang masipag at disiplinado si Brian sa ensayo. Nasa 50 percent pa lang ang kondisyon nya at dahan-dahan lang ang ginagawa namin para mag-peak siya sa gabi ng laban,” Somodio said.
Somodio, who was also at Viloria’s corner when his countryman unified the WBO/WBA 112-pound division at the expense of Herman Marquez November last year, said the conditioning aspect of training is being handled by Frankie Escobido.
Before that, the Honolulu-based champion stopped Omar Nino Romero in the ninth round in May last year to sweep his two fight assignments in 2012.
“So far, Brian has logged six rounds of sparring against Zou since the Chinese arrived here last week and coach Freddie, along with Top Rank match-maker Bruce Trampler, were impressed with the way the once-every-two-day skirmishes have been going,” Somodio said.
Team Viloria, according to Somodio, will proceed to Macau on March 25 so Viloria can acclimatize himself to whatever weather awaits him in Macau.
“Plano din yata na dumaan muna ng Maynila to attend the Elorde Memorial Awards Night,” Somodio said. “Pero depende siguro yun sa availability ng time at saka kung papayag si coach Freddie. Medyo malapit na ang laban sa araw na ‘yun at baka masira ang training program,” Somodio said.
Viloria is one of the honorees in the 13th Annual Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Memorial Awards and banquet of champions set March 25 at Sofitel Hotel.