By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Michael Koncz, an adviser of Filipino ring hero Manny Pacquiao who  works closely with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has strongly defended his decision to ask the referee to stop the bout between the veteran Filipino southpaw and WBA light flyweight champion Giovanni Segura in the sixth round of their twelve round title fight in  Mexico, Sunday, Manila Time. The time of the stoppage was 2:04 of round six.

Koncz said that he was “more concerned about the  boxer than anything else” in view of the beating Rubillar was taking at the hands of the champion. He said referee Luis Pabon  spoke to him before the start of the 5th round and then again before the 6th because he was “concerned that he (Rubillar ) was taking too many punches.”

Koncz claimed the referee told him he would give Rubillar one more round which is what they did and that Rubillar “did the best he could do” but was clearly not going to win the fight because he was tiring and his punches had no power.

He also revealed that when Rubillar arrived in Mexico at short notice as a replacement for Sonny Boy Jaro who failed to get a transient visa and lost a glorious opportunity to possibly win a world title by beating Segura because of Jaro’s condition and punching power, Rubillar weighed 115 pounds and the light flyweight limit is 108.

Rubillar’s handler Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde admitted in a conversation with BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that Rubillar was 115 “with his clothes on and when he stripped he was down to 112 ½ pounds”  but made the weight after being give one hour by the WBA officials.

Koncz also said that while Elorde claimed Rubillar had been in training, the fighter himself admitted to him that he had “trained for only one week” but begged that he be allowed to fight.

Elorde also said he thought that Gerry Penalosa had arranged the fight and he “did not know that this guy (Koncz) was the matchmaker” and he  did not know why Koncz should get 10 percent of the purse when he had been talking to Penalosa. Elorde also questioned the 10 percent fee saying “why should they get 10 percent when we were a last minute substitute and we were the ones who saved the show after being told 48 hours before the fight.” 

Elorde also questioned Koncz’s right to throw in the towel saying “he was not the trainer and he was not the manager.”  Elorde said “the guy who should do that is (Erbito) Salavarria, not him. ”

Elorde said Rubillar “might have gone the distance because the other guy (Segura) was also running out of stamina.”

Rubillar’s handler insisted that after his last lopsided 8th round technical decision loss in an IBF title eliminator against Omar Nino Romero last June,  the 32 year old southpaw had “started training after the fight in Mexico.” At the same time Elorde said “ we knew he will  be overweight when he arrives in Mexico.”

Elorde also admitted that when they reached San Francisco, Salavarria “made him eat breakfast and he ate three times on the plane. What would you expect? 48 hours, last minute substitute. Maybe they thought they won’t be strict with the weight but they had to make the weight and he (Rubillar) made the weight.”  According to Koncz, Salavarria allegedly thought the fight was one week later.

Koncz said that he and Penalosa eventually deducted only 5 percent of the $25,000 purse ($ 1,250) of Rubillar who also had to pay the WBO sanction fee and according to Elorde himself “received $22,000 something in check and I told them you have to get that in cash because it will take 30-45 days clearing in the Philippines.”

Elorde said that when he tried to contact Rubillar in his hotel room in Mexico “they had already left and when I talked to Gerry (Penalosa) he said they brought the check with them.”