Juanito Rubillar Defends Title on April 21

By Rey Danseco
 
NEWLY crowned Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) light flyweight champion Juanito Rubillar, the Filipino fighter who Brian Viloria is afraid to fight, will put his title on the line for the first time before his countrymen in the Philippines.

His promoter and manager Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr. revealed yesterday that his co-promoters backed out from their plan to stage Rubillar’s title fight on April 24 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Rubillar’s new fight schedule will be on April 21, Saturday, in a soon to be determined venue in Metro Manila or a nearby province.

Original-choice challenger, Ken Nakajima of Japan, will remain as the opposition in the 12-round title fight.

 “Hindi kaya ng Hawaii ang gastos sa pag-host ng boksing ngayon,” said Elorde, who met Filipino-American boxing supporters Roger Clemente and radio commentator Bernie “Kid Dynamite” Munoz of KNDI radio station in a meeting early last month.

“Mabigat ang mga taxes na hinihingi ng Hawaii (government) sa boxing at mas mura sa Pilipinas ganapin ang fight.”

The Paranaque City-trained 30-year old native of Mati in Davao Oriental captured the vacant regional title in October of last year at the expense of top ranked OPBF contender Irfan Ogah of Indonesia. Rubillar won a convincing technical decision win in Trece Martires City.

Rubillar, rated No. 6 in the world by the World Boxing Council, is coming off in a lackluster tune up fight that took place on February 25 in Baguio City where he defeated former Philippine Boxing Federation champion Larry Mede.

Rubillar has 41-10-7 record with 18 knockouts while Nakajima, who is rated No. 21 by the WBC and No. 9 by the OPBF, sports a record of 16-4-0, 10 KOs.

Nakajima and Rubillar are both former world title challengers.