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Little big man

'Hawaiian Punch' thirsty for boxing gold

"What I like about (boxing) is that it's a one-on-one sport," says Brian Viloria, 18. "You don't have anyone else to blame"

September 3, 2000
Web posted at: 10:57 PM EDT (0257 GMT)

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By Greg Botelho
CNNfyi writer

Profile: Brian Viloria
Age: 18
Hometown: Honolulu
Weight: 106 pounds
Height: 5 feet 2 inches

(CNNfyi) -- Is Brian Viloria little? It depends on whom you ask.

U.S. weightlifter Cheryl Haworth U.S. boxer Clarence Vinson U.S. archer Karen Scavotto U.S. Paralympian Trischa Zorn   Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj Romanian gymnast Simona Amanar U.S. equestrian Robert Dover Multimedia: Olympic interviews

Chances are any boxer who has had a taste of "Hawaiian Punch," as Viloria is known to his teammates, wouldn't think so (if they're thinking clearly, that is). In the ring, he has stepped up big time and again.

And soon, Viloria will be on amateur boxing's biggest stage -- the Olympics.

At 5 feet 2 inches, weighing in under 106 pounds, the 18-year-old may not stand out on the streets as boxer material. But at the U.S. Olympic Committee training center at Colorado Springs, Colorado, and in Sydney's Olympic Village, Viloria is just one of the boys.

"Despite having to be at a smaller weight, they say I can punch like a middleweight," Viloria said. "But everyone just treats each other the same here. We're a family."

Viloria credits his immediate family for helping him become a part of the U.S. Olympic family. Born in Hawaii, Viloria spent his first five years living with his grandparents in the Philippines. He moved to a gritty neighborhood in Honolulu when he was 6, and a year later he took up boxing.

"It was real rugged, and my Dad didn't want me to get into trouble," Viloria said. "He was the one who brought me to where I am … and taught me to keep focused and how to live my life."

While Viloria didn't ever grow all that much physically, he did mature as a boxer. In time, no one his size in the state could stay with him.

Last fall, Viloria headed to the mainlaind at Northern Michigan University in Marquette. On a full four-year scholarship, Viloria threw himself into his studies as a broadcast journalism major.

Viloria competes against Karoz Norman of St. Louis during the U.S. Olympic Team Box-offs in Mashantucket, Connecticut

In the ring, he continued to blossom under the guidance of 1996 U.S. Olympic boxing coach Al Mitchell. Despite his youth, Viloria is the most experienced boxer on the U.S. team, having fought in 29 amateur bouts (with a 24-5 record internationally). In 1999, he captured the national and world championships in his weight class as well as a National Golden Gloves crown.

"What I like about [boxing] is that it's a one-on-one sport," Viloria said. "You don't have anyone else to blame."

At the same time, Viloria said he enjoys the team aspect of boxing, pointing to the quality and colorful personalities of the 2000 U.S. squad.

"When we do fight, we can hear our teammates giving us that extra motivation to take the win," he said. "Everyone has their own personality and talents, and they're fun to be around. We're like brothers."

Given his international success, Viloria is a favorite to win a medal in Sydney. And he says that boxing has gotten him ready -- for the Olympics and for life.

"The will to win's nothing without the will to prepare," Viloria said. "You have to prepare for every competition; you have to prepare for everything that comes along."

USA Boxing
Northern Michigan University
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
U.S. Olympic Committee

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