By Rey Danseco
 
The camp of top contender Juanito Rubillar has made a trap that will force the World Boxing Council (WBC) and their light flyweight champion Brian Viloria to comply with the mandatory date of defending his title against Rubillar next, instead of taking another easier opponent of his choice.

Rubillar’s manager Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr has made an offer from Manila to the Mexico-based WBC, stating his interest to promote the Viloria-Rubillar fight in Manila on April 4, a date that will be over the mandated six-month period that ends on March 10, for Viloria’s obligatory defense.

Elorde offered $150,000 United States dollars for Viloria's purse, plus round trip airplane tickets and free hotel and meals for up to three people.

“April 4 will be a consideration date for Viloria, he’ll have more time to prepare and rest after his first successful first defense (on Feb. 18),” said Elorde. “But their (Viloria) choices now that I made an offer, will be limited, whether he accepts the offer or counters the offer. They can not reject or leave it.”

Elorde has agreed with the opinion revealed in an interview in December of former Games and Amusement Board (GAB) chairman Dominador Cepeda, WBC’s advisor in Asia Pacific Region, that Viloria (19-0, 12 KOs) must face Rubillar (37-9-7, 17 KOs) within six months since he won it on Sept. 10 from erstwhile champ Eric Ortiz of Mexico with devastating first round knockout in Los Angeles.

“Viloria won his title on September 2005 and it will be six months on March 2006. And his last defense was a choice, so the next defense should be a mandatory defense (against Rubillar),” Elorde quoted in his official offer sent Tuesday (Feb. 21 in Mexico City) to father and son WBC president Jose Sulaiman and WBC Executive Secretary Mauricio Sulaiman.

After his easy win to Ortiz, Viloria defended the belt on Feb. 18 in Las Vegas against an aging challenger of his choice, Jose Antonio Aguirre who at that time the WBC approved the bout wasn’t in the WBC's top 10 rankings.

Elorde continued,”It states in the WBC rules that after a champion win the title he should defend against the No. 1 WBC contender, and after a choice defense the champion should defend his title against the No. 1 contender or a mandatory defense. And it also states in the WBC rules that after six months after winning the WBC title, the champion should defend against the mandatory No. 1 WBC contender.”

Rubillar, who turned 29 on Feb. 22, has had the right for a mandatory fight for the last two years, and the status was once again confirmed after the WBC's 43rd Annual Convention in Spain last year. He has remained at the top of WBC light flyweight ratings for at least the last three years, despite attempts by the WBC ratings committee in relegating him to his lowest position in the past few years to No. 4, in favor of Ortiz and other Mexicans.

Rubillar’s only losses in his 26 fights within the last six years were controversial decisions against champion Jorge Arce in 2001 and 2004, for the WBC light flyweight interim championship and regular WBC light flyweight world title, respectively.

On the third week of January, Elorde and Rubillar refused the offer of Lindsey E. Tucker, Jr., the IBF and United States Boxing Association (USBA) Championship Chairman. It was an opportunity of fighting in an IBF elimination bout with the winner will become No. 1 and mandatory challenger to newly crowned IBF light flyweight champ Ulises Solis of Mexico.

“Me and my family has a high respect with the WBC and since my grandfather Lope "Papa" Sarreal, we have always supported WBC,” Elorde told the Sulaimans.