By Rey Danseco

THE rematch between veteran light flyweight contenders Juanito Rubillar (46-11-7, 22 KOs) and Omar Nino Romero (27-3-1, 11 KOs) will be delayed for three months due to the swine flu crisis reaching Cancun, Mexico.

WBC president Jose Sulaiman told this writer yesterday from Mexico City that the scheduled eliminator between the Nino and Rubillar on May 16 in the paradise resort will be postponed.

“It is going to be postponed for the middle of July,” Sulaiman said.

Also listed in the card is the non-title fight between WBC No. 12 and NABF flyweight champion Wilbert "Huracan" Uicab and unraked but promising Filipino fighter BJ Dolorosa.

The survivor in Rubillar-Nino rematch will get a shot against WBC light flyweight king Edgar Sosa, who made his 8th title defense last April.

Rubillar edged Nino in their final eliminator in June last year in Mexico City to earn the right to challenge Sosa, who stopped him in round 7 in November.

In the main event of the “Batalla en la Capital” at Palacio de Deporte, American judge and this writer saw Rubillar’s victory, 116-114 and 114-113, respectively to give the Filipino a split decision win. Mexican judge Herminio Cuevas Collazo had Nino ahead in his scorecard por 118-111.

 In a title bout dubbed “Batalla en la Capital II” against Sosa, Rubillar was hurt with a left hook to the side of the body and with six seconds left in round 7 referee Harold Laurens of Curacao interfered and stopped the fight. It was Sosa’s 7th title defense in succession.

Rubillar and Dolorosa along with their trainers Fernando “Ding” Cabanela and ex-WBC and WBA flyweight king Erbito Salavarria, respectively, are booked to leave Manila for Los Angeles, California on May 3.

Manager Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr. wants the two Filipino fighters, who are sparring partners, to stay in the house of his uncle and former Philippine champion Ramon Elorde in Rowland Heights in California for a week before proceeding to Cancun.

After losing to Rubillar, the 32-year old Nino was victorious in his next fights via 10-round unanimous decision win against Francisco Soto (13-20-3) and Sammy Gutierrez (20-3-2) last year.

Rubillar’s only fight after his win over Nino was against Sosa.