Edgar Sosa vs. Juanito Rubillar on Nov. 29 in Mexico

By Rey Danseco

Filipino challenger Juanito Rubillar accepted the $40,000 (roughly 1.892 million pesos) offer to face WBC light flyweight champion Edgar Sosa on November 29 in Mexico.

On behalf of Sosa’s group, WBC executive secretary Mauricio Sulaiman tendered from Mexico City, the offer with round-trip airplane tickets and free accommodations for three members of Team Rubillar.

Rubillar and his manager Gabriel "Bebot" Elorde Jr. agreed, knowing this is another chance to bring back the title belt in 108-pound class in the Philippines since Filipino-American Brian Viloria won it in 2005.

The 29-year-old champion from Mexico City will put the titleon the line for the seventh time since beating Viloria for the vacant belt via majority decision over 12 rounds in April 2007 in San Antonio, Texas.

Sosa made his sixth defense of the belt with unanimous decision win after picking himself up from a scary 9th-round knockdown against former Philippine and OPBF champion Sonny Boy Jaro, on September 27 at Arena Mexico in Mexico City.

The Mati City-native Rubillar acquired the No. 1 ranking and solidified his position in the mandatory title fight against Sosa after taking a split decision win over erstwhile champion Omar Nino Romero of Mexico on June 14 in Mexico City where Sosa made his fourth title defense against Japanese Takashi Kunishige with 8th round stoppage win.

Rubillar’s purse against Sosa is 50% higher than what he got in facing Romero.

Rubillar, who will make his fourth challenge for that title and fifth appearance in a world title bout, is more experienced than Sosa. He has 46 wins, 10 losses and 7 draws with 22 of his victories by knockout.

Sosa, who aims to match Jorge Arce's eight title defenses, has 33-5 with 17 knockouts. He has 44.74 percentage of lighting out his opponents while Rubillar is tagged at 34.92 percent.