Nino Wants Rubillar on July 7 in Mexico

By Rey Danseco
 
THE representatives of former WBC light flyweight champion Omar Niño want the WBC eliminator fight between Niño against veteran Juanito Rubillar to take place in Mexico on July 7.

WBC president Jose Sulaiman informed Rubillar’s promoter Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr. about the counter-offer of Niños representatives to his $15,000 tax free purse with three round-trip Mexico-Manila air tickets with free board and lodging.

In a letter dated April 12 and addressed to Elorde with copy furnished to this writer and several important leaders of the Mexico-based WBC, Sulaiman revealed that Rubillar was offered $10,000 bigger than his offer to Niño.

“I passed to the Niño representatives your offer and they countered offer for Juanito Rubillar to fight in Mexico on July seventh with the local promoter offering as much as $25,000 for Juanito, tax free,” Sulaiman told Elorde.

On Thursday, Elorde offered Niño $15,000 tax free purse, round-trip tickets and board and lodging for three, to fight Rubillar in Manila on June 14.

The 77-year old and 33-year president of the WBC did not reveal the promoter who wants to install the Rubillar-Niño fight his native country. The winner in the final eliminator that scheduled for 12-rounds will earn the right to face WBC light flyweight champion Edgar Sosa, provided Sosa defended his title in his next ring appearance.

Sosa took the vacant belt with unanimous decision win over erstwhile title holder Brian Viloria in July last year after Niño was stripped of the crown when he was tested positive for methamphetamine in his post-fight urinalysis following the return bout with Viloria in November 2006.

Sulaiman earlier said, Niño has assured his willingness to fight Rubillar in Manila or elsewhere. But in his letter, he disclosed Elorde’s only other option is to accept the Mexico’s offer or ask for purse offer ceremony.

“Niño’s representatives informed that it would be useless to continue negotiating and that if you would not accept the $25,000 tax free, that they would prefer to go immediately into a purse offer,” said Sulaiman in his letter that also sent to WBC ratings committee chairman aand Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation president Frank Quill ng Australia, Games and Amusement Board chairman Eric Buhain, his son WBC executive secretary Mauricio Sulaiman and WBC's Ma. Teresa Flores.