FORMER World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight champion, Filipino-Hawaiian Brian “Hawaiian Punch” Viloria earned a fifth world title shot as he is set to fight unbeaten Ukranian Artem Dalakian for the vacant WBA world flyweight belt on February 24 at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
Viloria, 37 and a four-time world champion is now having the final stages of negotiations with the card’s promoters to make the fight officially happen.
The world title bout between Viloria and Dalakian is mandated by the WBA since they are the top two contenders in the division.
The US-based Fil-Hawaiian former world champion holds a record of 38 wins, five losses and 23 knockouts. He already won the WBA world flyweight title by beating Hernan Marquez in 2012 where he unified both the WBA and WBO titles.
He lost the two titles in 2013 when he was defeated by Mexican Juan Francisco Estrada in Macao, China via split decision.
Viloria climbed back in the rankings and got a crack at the WBC world flyweight title only to get beaten by Roman Gonzales in 2015. After his loss to Gonzales, Viloria is on a two-fight win streak, beating Miguel Cartagena and Ruben Montoya.
The 30-year old Dalakian holds an impressive record of 15 wins with 11 knockouts and he is yet to taste defeat. He is the current WBA international and WBA intercontinental flyweight champion. He won his last four bouts by knockout.