St. Louis Park's Wilton "The Pretty Warrior" Hilario will put his perfect 12-0 record on the line as part of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights on March 5 in Temecula, Calif.
Hilario's fight against Martin "El Brochas" Honorio will be the main event at the Pechanga Resort and Casino. Honorio, a 27-4 fighter from Mexico City, is coming off a unanimous decision victory that saw him take the WBO NABO lightweight title.
The fight continues a trend of increasing the talent level of opponents that Hilario started last April when he fought St Paul's Allen Litzau. Hilario won that fight with a fifth round TKO. Hilario then won a decision over Leon Bobo, a fighter out of St Louis, Mo. whose record was 18-3 going into the fight.
The 26-year-old Hilario, who has been training for the past seven weeks in Las Vegas, said he took the fight as soon as it was offered.
"I have known him from before, I have been watching his fights before he offered to us. That is why when they offered to us we took it so fast. We already knew who he was," Hilario said.
Hilario knows Honorio so well in fact that he said he doesn't even need to watch film on him in preparation for their showdown.
Another factor in Hilario's quick answer was the potential for big rewards should the fight go his way.
"When this fight came up I said "Why not?" This is an opportunity that can open big doors for us. I mean its ESPN. Being able to be on ESPN is a big deal."
Hilario will look for a road victory that has been elusive as of late to Minnesota boxers.
At the end of January local fighters Matt Vanda, Phil Williams and Willshaun Boxley all lost out-of-town fights.
"Everybody is different, it doesn't matter where you come from. I'm a pure Minnesota boxer. We will see the night of the fight," Hilario said.
When asked what might be behind those "big doors" that might open, Hilario was hesitant to answer. He said he will wait until after the results to decide if he will return to Minnesota or continue training in Las Vegas.
But one fight still on Hilario's mind is a showdown with St Paul's Jason Litzau. The fight was to take place following Hilario's defeat of Allen Litzau last April but fell through when Hilario was injured in training.
"I mean I think that fight would be good. Whatever happens March 5, the fight is going to be there."
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