By Rey Danseco
WORLD rated Juanito Rubillar rejected the lucrative $25,000 purse offer of an influential Mexican boxing manager to fight a former world champ in Puerto Rico next month.
This was relayed by Rubillar’s handler Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr. to the father and son team of president Jose and executive secretary Mauricio Sulaiman of the World Boxing Council (WBC) recently in response to an offer to fight ageless Puerto Rican Nelson Dieppa for the WBC light flyweight interim title on April 29 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Team Rubillar informed the Sulaimans that they want no other fight than the mandated championship bout against WBC light flyweight titleholder Brian Viloria in their next appearance.
“I talked to Juanito Rubillar about the offer for an interim championship and he told me he rather fight for the World Light Flyweight championship against Viloria,” Elorde told the Sulaimans in his letter.
Elorde also insists the status quo of the WBC’s decision for the Viloria-Rubillar bout.
“I have clippings here also Viloria stating that he will fight Rubillar anywhere and anytime. We will just wait for April 7, 2006 for Viloria manager's reply on my offer. Now if he doesn’t reply on our offer we will go for the purse bidding,” said Elorde.
Fernando Beltran, who is associated with popular Mexican fighters Erik Morales and Jorge “Travieso” Arce, tendered his offer to Rubillar through the Sulaimans after he learned that Viloria suffered an injury in his right hand from previous bout against Jose Antonio Aguirre.
Beltran also revealed his intention to advance Rubillar’s career in America and United States.
“Podemos realizar una serie de peleas en America y sobre todo en los Estados Unidos que puedan redituarle muy buenos dividendos a Rubillar (We can carry out a series of fights in America, the United States bouts will bring very good dividends to Rubillar),” said Beltran in his letter.
On the other hand, the older Sulaiman has rested his case in his reply to Elorde.
“Well done. He (Rubillar) deserves the opportunity,” Jose Sulaiman told Elorde.
Molded by trainer Felix Trinidad, Sr., Dieppa became a WBO light flyweight champ when he stopped Filipino fighter Andy Tabanas with crushing right cross to the chin on April 2001 in New York.
Tabanas was leading on two of three scorecards before the TKO. He fell hard, slamming his head to the canvas and was placed on a stretcher and taken to St. Vincent's hospital in New York City. Fortunately, he only suffered a concussion.
Dieppa, 35, is currently rated No. 3 while Rubillar is No. 1 under Viloria.
