Viloria a surrogate son

Gary Gittlesohn is World Boxing Council (WBC) lightflyweight champion Brian Viloria’s manager. But their relationship goes way beyond the professional level.

"Brian’s like my surrogate son," said the 52-year-old Gittlesohn in a STAR interview at the Manila Peninsula Hotel the other night. "I’ve never met any fighter quite like him. He’s a renaissance man. He’s articulate and no one is better in elocution. After Brian won the title, he took the microphone and spoke to the fans in the ring. I don’t think that’s ever been done before. He’s a gifted person with varied interests. I know he would be successful in whatever line of work he chooses."

Gittlesohn and wife Ellen have been married 29 years. Their only child Sarah, 27, is a Harvard law school graduate and now works for a large California law firm.

Viloria seems to be the son that the Gittlesohns never had.

"The measure of my success as a boxing manager is how my fighter lives his life after retiring from the ring," said Gittlesohn. "That’s what’s important to me. I have no control over what a fighter does in the ring. It’s like when the fight starts, the fighter takes three steps forward and I take three steps backward. My role is to take care of my fighter’s interests so that when he retires, he has a secure future."

A lawyer by profession, Gittlesohn has always been a sports fan. His involvement in boxing started in 1984 after the Los Angeles Olympics when Mark Breland sought his legal advice.

"I could never turn down an athlete who asked me for legal assistance," said Gittlesohn. "Eventually, I began to represent fighters like Prince Charles Williams and Junior Jones. When I practiced law in New York, Shelly Finkel became my close friend. We called each other practically every day and he shared his boxing knowledge with me."

It was in 1999 when Viloria caught Gittlesohn’s eye at the World Amateur Championships. Viloria went on to represent the US at the 2000 Sydney Olympics then turned pro with Gittlesohn by his side.

"I’ve known Gary to be a good person," said Viloria. "He manages a lot of quality fighters like Clarence Vinson, Rosendo Alvarez, Fernando Monriel and Kingsley Ikeke. I know I’m in good hands with Gary as my manager."

Gittlesohn said it’s "refreshing" for an intelligent, young fighter like Viloria to emerge as a Filipino hero.

"When I first met Brian, I saw him just as a talented fighter," continued Gittlesohn. "Then I visited his home in Hawaii and realized the strength of the Filipino community. I saw how close knit his family is. With Manny Pacquiao’s splash, I began to appreciate the value of fan support. You’re a star if you’ve got a fan base where people are sincerely interested in your development. That’s why a fighter like Floyd Mayweather isn’t as valuable as Manny because Manny has fans who really care."

Gittlesohn said boxing used to be known as a predominantly Hispanic sport.

"Not anymore," he went on. "Manny’s iconic emergence and Brian’s development are big factors in creating a strong Filipino fan base. Then there’s Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista who’s coming up. When the three Filipinos fought at the Staples Center, 40 percent of the audience was Filipino and they were louder than the Hispanics."

Gittlesohn said with Viloria as the WBC titleholder, he is able to chart his own course.

"We now have choices," he said. "We’ll study the options when we get back to the US. At the moment, we’re not talking about his next fight, at least not on this Philippine trip which Brian should enjoy without thinking of boxing."

Gittlesohn said Viloria fighting former WBC lightflyweight champion Jorge Arce of Mexico would be a dream match. "That could create a rivalry like Chiquita Gonzalez versus Michael Carbajal," he said. "It could be the most exciting duel in the lighter divisions since Gonzalez-Carbajal."

Gittlesohn said Viloria’s charm and charisma are irresistible. For instance, Viloria’s neighbor, who lives close to his Los Angeles apartment, happens to be the wardrobe consultant for the long-running TV soap series’ General Hospital." When Viloria fought Ortiz, 99 members of the "General Hospital" cast and crew trooped to the Staples Center in rented buses to cheer the Filipino buzzsaw. They were of course led by the wardrobe consultant.

Viloria was even offered a recurring role in the soap series. A movie career like Pacquiao’s looms in the horizon for the handsome Viloria whose father Benjamin said he inherited his good looks from his mother Rosemarie.

If there’s anyone capable of arranging Viloria’s break into show business, it’s Gittlesohn.

When Gittlesohn was president of Marvel Comics, he paved the way for the development of such characters as the X-Men, Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk, Blade and the Fantastic Four into movie figures.

And his wife Ellen is a renowned TV director whose long lists of credits includes "Half and Half" (a 30-minute sitcom with Alec Mapa, a Filipino, in the cast), "Friends," "Designing Women," "Roseanne," "The Cosby Show" and "Living Style."

Viloria’s future couldn’t be brighter with Gittlesohn managing his affairs.