Edgar Sosa, Kunishige Are Up For Rubillar-Nino Winner

By Rey Danseco

MEXICO CITY – WBC light flyweight champion Edgar Sosa, and his Japanese challenger Takashi Kunishige, are both  willing to give a fight the winner of the upcoming eliminator between Omar Nino of Mexico and Juanito Rubillar of the Philippines.

In separate interviews conducted in Mexico, Sosa told BoxingScenec.com that he has no choice but to follow the order of the WBC and face the survivor of Rubillar-Nino in a mandatory bout.

But if he has a choice, Sosa admitted that he wants Nino. He reasoned not because they are compatriots and who ever wins the belt will keep in Mexico, but because the 31-year-old former owner of his crown is easier to beat and he wants to avenge his unanimous decision loss in their 10-round bout in 2002.

Sosa admitted, he would have a difficult fight against the Manila-trained Rubillar.

“Rubillar is a veteran and a technical fighter, he’s a tough guy,” said Sosa, through the interpretation of former technical committee adviser to the Mexican Olympic Committee, Dr. Rafael Gayol. “He fought Travieso (Jorge Arce twice in Mexico) and he did well in those bouts.”

Sosa will put his title on the line for the fifth time since winning the title Nino had vacated with unanimous decision win over Filipino-American Brian Viloria in San Antonio, Texas.

Katsushige, who stands 5-foot-6, and Rubillar, always greet each other at the lobby of their rooms at the Hotel Geneve in Mexico City. The No. 7 ranked Japanese fighter and No. 2 contender Filipino never take it personal, even though they might end up fighting this year should Katsushige dethroned Sosa in the main event of the huge boxing show that was put together by Prestige Boxing Promotions of Dr. Faustino Garcia and the Distrito Federal in coordination with WBC president Jose Sulaiman, installed on Saturday at Palacios de los Deportes.

Mexico-based Ken Nishide, the right hand man of the Japanese businessman Akihiko Honda of Teiken Promotions, predicted Nino will stopped Rubillar.

But if he fell short of his expectations and his young fighter won over Sosa, they will also obliged to honor the mandate of taking Rubillar in September or October.

Nishide thinks Katsushige will box his way to a decision victory over Sosa, who just shrugged and grinned when this writer told him the prediction of the Japanese fighter.

Nino, ranked No. 1 by WBC, is slated to come to Mexico City from Guadalajara today.

The second title fight on the card is Mia St. John making her first appearance in the Mexican capital in a contest that would be slated for the female WBC International lightweight title. Mia's opponent is Amy Yuratovic.

The card will be televised by Televisa.