By Ronnie Nathanielsz
There is growing confusion over a possible rematch between newly crowned IBF minimum weight champion Florante Condes and former champion Muhammad Rachman of Indonesia.
In an interview with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today shortly after their arrival from Jakarta Monday night both Condes and his manager Aljoe Jaro said they hadn’t agreed to a rematch and even if there was one they would want the title fight to be held in Manila for the hometown fans.
Aljoe Jaro also said the Indonesians tried to bamboozle him claiming that they had an option in case Condes won but his manager said it was a mandatory challenge and therefore there was no option. At the same time Aljoe Jaro claimed he told the Indonesians he would agreed to a rematch in Jakarta “if the price is right” and reportedly said he wanted a purse of $150,000 for the new champion although it is considered too much for a minimum weight.
The Jakarta Post ran a story claiming that Rachman announced plans for a rematch and reportedly told a press conference he would try to reclaim his title in a rematch in December. Rachman said “I hope I can win and bring the belt back to Indonesia.”
Rachman’s manager Martinez Dos Santos supposedly confirmed that the rematch had been agreed upon by the Condes camp but Aljoe Jaro said he never agreed to anything.
Indications are the Indonesians are seeking to put public pressure on Aljoe Jaro and Condes to give Rachman who figured in what was described as a classic fight with the hard-hitting Filipino, a chance to regain his title. However, Condes is not obligated to do so and the only way Rachman can earn a rematch is if an Indonrsian promoter is willing to pay the asking price of Condes or Rachman works his way back as a mandatory challenger.