By Rey Danseco
The non-title fight between World Boxing Council top ranked contender Juanito Rubillar and veteran Ronnie Cañete in the main event of “Bakbakan sa Pasig” card supposedly set for today, has been postponed to March 11.
“The fight has been moved to a later date to give us more time to prepare in this important boxing event,” said promoter Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr. who bankrolls the boxing card in cooperation of One Dynamic Abbacus Co., LTD.
Rubillar (37-9-7, 17 KOs) has agreed to face the tough Cebuano in the scheduled 10-round bout as part of his continous preparation in the anticipated mandatory title shot against compatriot, WBC light flyweight champ Brian “Pinoy Punch” Viloria.
Elorde, who plans to set up nine pairs of bouts between up-and-coming RP boxers in the undercard, will put up a makeshift arena at the Ortigas Town Center on Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center in Pasig City for the event.
Elorde has offered Viloria a lucrative $150,000 purse to fight Rubillar in a mandatory fight in the country.
Elorde originally revealed his intension to set the Viloria-Rubillar title fight on April 4 either at the 3,000-seat Elorde Sports Center or Araneta Coliseum.
However, due to right-hand injury that Viloria had suffered in his last fight against Jose Antonio Aguirre on Feb. 18, his second title defense may be set in later dates.
On the other hand, Viloria’s manager Gary Gittelsohn seems uninterested to honor the mandate WBC has required as he negotiates for June 10 fight of the 25-year old champ at Madison Square Garden in New York
