The long wait is over. He already stopped his old rival Omar Niño Romero of Mexico during nine rounds, in a victory yesterday that is believed be the sweetest of all for Viloria.

"It's a big psychological win for me. The monkey's off my back," said the 31-year-old Viloria, after his third fight with the native of Guadalajara, Mexico.

Romero beat Viloria the first time in 2006, and the succeeding rematch ended in a draw that was eventually ruled a no-contest after the Mexican failed a dope test.

Next Pacman?

Viloria is a Filipino-American boxer with an outstanding amateur and professional career. In 1999, as an amateur, Viloria won the US championships, the national Golden Gloves and the world title, but did not win a medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics (lost to the eventual gold medalist Brahim Asloum).

He was written off after losing his IBF light-fly crown to Carlos Tamara at the Cuneta in 2010. But he restrained to roll over and die, and bounced back. But Viloria scored back-to-back wins then snatched the WBO flyweight title from Julio Cesar Miranda in July last year, and defending it against Giovani Segura last December.

Then the challenge to face Romero a third time came. Viloria knew he needed to do the fight, and once and for all wipe the ghost from Guadalajara. "I trained 3 ½ months for this fight. After the Segura fight I didn't take time off. I was always out on the road in the morning and was at the gym in the afternoon," said Viloria.

Pacman also had these humble beginnings before he reached his peak of success, not to far-farfetched to this new boxer.

Gold Mexico