By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The manager of WBC light flyweight champion Brian Viloria says he is ready to discuss details of Viloria’s mandatory title defense against No.1 contender Juanito Rubillar with Rubillar’s manager Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum.
Garry Gittelsohn told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that “the fight is going to happen and we need to have direct communication, hopefully tonight if possible or within the next few days. We will have Arum involved in the discussion and we will make it happen. That’s the way this is meant to work.”
Viva Sports spoke to Gittelsohn and tried to arrange a meeting with Elorde at the end of the Elorde Banquet of Champions Saturday but it was past midnight and the meeting didn’t push through.
Gittelsohn said Viloria’s injured right hand was “coming along fine and seems to be on the same course that the doctor said it would.” Gittelsohn indicated that as soon as they return to Los Angeles next week “we will take him immediately to the doctor and hopefully he will get a green light to begin training soon. Hopefully in about three weeks he can get back into the gym and have full contact and within that period of time I am hoping to make the mandatory against Rubillar.”
Elorde who had offered Viloria a huge purse of $150,000 to defend his title in Manila said he wants to try and promote the fight here later this year but indicated it would have to be sometime after Manny Pacquiao’s WBC International super featherweight title defense against former super bantamweight champion Oscar Larios on July 2.
Freddie Roach who trains Viloria at his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles noted that Rubillar had twice fought hard-hitting flyweight champion Jorge Arce of Mexico and gone the distance and is regarded as a tough opponent for Viloria.
