No girlfriend for Viloria

Take it from World Boxing Council (WBC) lightflyweight champion Brian Viloria’s father Ben who says his son is loveless, at the moment.

Last year, Viloria broke up with his Japanese-American girlfriend Naomi Usui whom he met in a concession stand after a fight in Los Angeles. Usui is an aspiring movie actress whose father is president of Mitsubishi US. He said the relationship didn’t work out because they’re both busy pursuing their professional careers.

"For now, no girlfriend yet so I hope his Filipina fans are really happy to hear that," says Ben.

Viloria will visit friends and relatives here after his fight against Omar Nino Romero in Las Vegas this morning (Manila time).

Ben monitors his son’s weight every day and has developed his own nutrition program where the goal is to grow stronger without putting on pounds. Father and son live together in a two-bedroom penthouse in Studio City, North Hollywood. It’s a sacrifice for them to live apart from the others in the family but they realize sacrifice is an essential ingredient in the formula for success in boxing. Viloria’s mother Rosemarie, sister Roxanne and brother Gaylord reside in Hawaii.

Ben says his son plans to enroll at UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) to finish his studies in broadcast journalism. He was previously enrolled at Northern Michigan on a boxing scholarship.

"I don’t know if it’s possible (to enroll) but he told me he’s going to take on-line classes," continues Ben. "My job is to support him, not push him."

Although Viloria is not looking past Romero, there is speculation his next opponent will be World Boxing Association (WBA) lightflyweight champion Koki Kameda, the 19-year-old wunderkind from Japan.

Kameda is the new darling of Japanese boxing. When he outpointed Juan Jose Landaeta to claim the vacant WBA crown in Yokohama last week, the TV rating averaged 42.4 percent — the highest for a fight in 10 years. The rating shot up to 52.9 percent as the verdict was announced at the end of the bout.

Japanese boxing expert Joe Koizumi reports that "probably half of the total Japanese population of 120 million watched the fight" and cites Kameda’s flamboyance as a magnet for his popularity.

Viloria’s manager Gary Gittelsohn says a unification showdown would be a potential blockbuster.

"We would be very interested in making it happen but there have not been any talks as yet with Kameda’s people," says Gittelsohn, quoted by writer Graham Houston. "It would be the biggest fight at 108 pounds since Michael Carbajal fought Chiquita Gonzalez — a very big fight that would be watched by millions of people."

Like Viloria, the southpaw Kameda is unbeaten with a 12-0 record, including 10 KOs. Two of his victims were former world champions Saman Sorjaturong and Noel Arambulet.

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Comebacking Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) star Rudy Hatfield’s agent Bill Rosmarino says he has no idea if the "H-Bomb" plans or hopes to reconcile with long-time former girlfriend Rufa Mae Quinto.

"No comment on that one," says Rosmarino. "I don’t get involved in his love life, only his basketball life."

Hatfield is arriving here from the US on Aug. 28 with Rosmarino. He is rumored to be dating an American girl in Michigan. "I hope his new team will put him up in a place for about two weeks while he looks for something permanent," says Rosmarino. "When he left Manila (last year), it was like he was never coming back. He’s got a lot of good playing years to go so I think he’ll make an immediate impact once he’s back on the court."

Rosmarino says listing Eric Menk and Hatfield — the Michigan connection — in the same lineup is an exciting development and Ginebra can only get better for it.

Hatfield, 28, has averaged 13.1 points and 10.7 rebounds in 192 games from 2000 to 2004-05. Before playing for Coca-Cola, he suited up for Tanduay and Pop Cola.

In 2002, Hatfield was voted the Finals MVP when the Tigers won the All-Filipino crown. The next year, he was named Defensive Player of the Year by the PBA Press Corps and led Coca-Cola to the Reinforced championship.

Hatfield played two seasons for the University of Michigan at Dearborn, averaging 17.2 points in 62 games. As a senior in 1998-99, he shot at an 18.9 clip. Menk saw action for Lake Superior State, also in Michigan. Like Viloria, the southpaw Kameda is unbeaten with a 12-0 record, including 10 KOs. Two of his victims were former world champions Saman Sorjaturong and Noel Arambulet.

* * *

Comebacking Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) star Rudy Hatfield’s agent Bill Rosmarino says he has no idea if the "H-Bomb" plans or hopes to reconcile with long-time former girlfriend Rufa Mae Quinto.

"No comment on that one," says Rosmarino. "I don’t get involved in his love life, only his basketball life."

Hatfield is arriving here from the US on Aug. 28 with Rosmarino. He is rumored to be dating an American girl in Michigan. "I hope his new team will put him up in a place for about two weeks while he looks for something permanent," says Rosmarino. "When he left Manila (last year), it was like he was never coming back. He’s got a lot of good playing years to go so I think he’ll make an immediate impact once he’s back on the court."

Rosmarino says listing Eric Menk and Hatfield — the Michigan connection — in the same lineup is an exciting development and Ginebra can only get better for it.

Hatfield, 28, has averaged 13.1 points and 10.7 rebounds in 192 games from 2000 to 2004-05. Before playing for Coca-Cola, he suited up for Tanduay and Pop Cola.

In 2002, Hatfield was voted the Finals MVP when the Tigers won the All-Filipino crown. The next year, he was named Defensive Player of the Year by the PBA Press Corps and led Coca-Cola to the Reinforced championship.

Hatfield played two seasons for the University of Michigan at Dearborn, averaging 17.2 points in 62 games. As a senior in 1998-99, he shot at an 18.9 clip. Menk saw action for Lake Superior State, also in Michigan.