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Brian Viloria, Artem Dalakian set to fight for vacant flyweight title on Feb. 24

Photo by Naoki Fukuda
Fighters Network
05
Jan

Brian Viloria, at 37 years old, will attempt to once again call himself champion.

“The Hawaiian Punch” will meet Artem Dalakian in a battle for the vacant WBA flyweight title on February 24 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The bout will be staged on the non-televised undercard of the highly anticipated Superfly 2 tripleheader on HBO.

“I’ve worked very hard to earn this shot for a fifth world title and I’m not going to let it slip away,” said Viloria (38-5, 23 knockouts), who will fight for the title vacated by Kazuto Ioka, who recently retired. “I won my first world title in Los Angeles and I couldn’t be more excited to be back home to fight for the WBA flyweight world championship in front of my friends, family and supportive fans.”

Viloria says he’s been training for more than a month in hopes the fight would materialize, and against a younger, undefeated fighter preparing for his first world title opportunity, he’ll need to be ready.



Dalakian (15-0, 11 KOs) has never competed outside Ukraine, where he resides, and the 30-year-old has never faced a notable opponent.

“Brian Viloria is a good boxer and was a champion, but his time is up,” Dalakian said. “I’m going to the United States to become a world champion and to prove to everyone that I’m the best.”

Viloria may be past his prime at 37, but he’s always in shape, and he’s reached the pinnacle of the smaller weight classes. He owns title victories over Hernan Marquez, Giovanni Segura and Ulises Solis, with only two defeats in the past four years.

Those losses came to Roman Gonzalez, then THE RING’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, and Juan Francisco Estrada, who will fight in the Superfly 2 main event against Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.

Viloria’s last appearance came on September 9, when he knocked out Miguel Cartagena in the fifth round. That bout was minutes before Superfly was broadcast on HBO.

If Viloria impresses again, he should ensure he’s on TV next time out.

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