WBC Follows Arum’s Request Again, Denies #1 Rubillar another title shot
 
By Rey Danseco
 
WBC president Jose Sulaiman once again prevented top ranked challenger Juanito Rubillar to obtain his long overdue right to fight for a world title when he let light flyweight champion Brian Viloria prevent the All-Filipino confrontation.

Sulaiman has defied his own early declarations as he hardly refused the third petition of influential American promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, all in Viloria’s favor by letting the Hawaii-raised Filipino champion prevent the No. 1 contender Rubillar get his mandatory fight.

Sulaiman has based his decision to Arum’s third petition, saying, “Viloria’s medical situation (right hand injury) is still uncertain”.

Sulaiman transmitted two letters both dated April 18. The first correspondence with No. 39,069 was informing the WBC Board of Governors of his order for the top two contenders in the light flyweight division to figth for the WBC interim light flyweight title.

The other letter with No. 39,070 was addressed to Rubillar, the No. 1 contender, and WBC International light flyweight king Wandee Singwancha, the second ranked from Thailand. He notified the boxers to negotiate for the interim championship and if no agreement is reached, a purse offer will be held on Friday May 5 in WBC’s head office in Mexico City.

Sulaiman’s latest order nullified his April 3 decision (letter No. 39,055) in compliance to Arum’s second request to re-schedule the date for two weeks of the purse offer on April 21 (April 22 in Manila) at WBC executive offices in Mexico City where in the right to promote the mandatory fight between Viloria and Rubillar will be contested between Arum and Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr, Rubillar’s promoter.

After allowing the original date of purse bid on April 7 to be moved for 14 days, WBC top honcho made it very clear to this writer that Viloria couldn’t choose any opponent other than Rubillar and no second postponent of the purse bid will takes place.

“The WBC did not and will not accept a substitution fight. The mandatory defense stays,” said Sulaiman in his letter to this writer on April 8.

“The WBC announced that there will be no more postponements and that no other fight will be accepted,” continued Sulaiman, who first approved Arum’s petition when Viloria was allowed a voluntary defense against then lowly ranked Mexican Jose Antonio Aguirre in February.

It can be remembered that Elorde offered Viloria $150,000 tax-free purse with four air tickets and free meals and accommodations to defend the title against the No. 1 contender Rubillar in a mandatory fight.

“We were ready to do a purse bid for the Viloria vs Rubillar fight on April 21,2006. And then came the order from WBC for an interim championship,” Elorde immediately replied to Sulaiman.

“For the best interest of my fighter I kindly ask you, if Mr. Viloria could produce a medical certificate that states that he is unable to participate in a championship match within six months.”

Meanwhile, Mexican website Box Latino qouted Aguirre on April 20 as saying that his manager Erik Morales and Arum has promised him a rematch against Viloria after the World Cup of soccer in Germany.

Aguirre mentioned that the fight would be in July or August. The World Cup will takes place from June 9 to July 9.
 
SULAIMAN’S BROKEN PROMISES
 
On February 22, 2005 in Sulaiman’s assurance with his letter No. 37,744 addressed to Viloria and Rubillar stated,”The World Boxing Council has decided to have Brian Viloria, from the USA fight against the winner of the vacant title fight between Jose Antonio Aguirre and Eric Ortiz.  The winner of that fight must fight mandatorily with Juanito Rubillar, from the Philippines, to cover in this way the vacancy of the light flyweight division.”

Ortiz, then 4th ranked, defeated Aguirre, the No. 2 contender, on March 11, 2005 in Mexico City. Ortiz captured the belt with 7th round TKO win.

Earlier on Jan. 27, 2005, Elorde offered WBC to pit Rubillar against Aguirre for Jorge Arce’s vacated title for his March 8 card at the Mandaluyong City, Philippines after he learned that then WBC No. 1 contender Roberto Vasquez of Panama refused to fight Aguirre for the vacant belt. Vasquez opted to fight for the version of the vacant crown in WBA against Beibis Mendoza of Colombia on March 29 in Panama City.

Elorde tendered $30,000 purse to Aguirre plus round trip Mexico-Manila air fare for four. But the WBC never made any reply until Sulaiman informed the concerned parties regarding their nationalistic decision of putting Aguirre against Ortiz.

In October 2004 WBC ranking, Rubillar was in No. 3 position after his split decision (but changed by WBC to unanimous decision after few days) defeat in a mandatory fight to Arce for the WBC light flyweight title last Sept. 2004 in Tijuana, Mexico as the official weigh-in process and the verdict was found controversial.

The WBC controversially dropped Rubillar’s ranking in December 2005 to No. 4 and improved Ortiz to No. 3. But the inrked Elorde protested, saying Rubillar fought four times (with 2-1-1 win-loss-draw) in 2004 and closed the year with an impressive first-round knockout win against Thailand national champ Samransak Singmanassak in November.

While Ortiz split his two bouts in 2004, losing by TKO to virtually nobody Luis “Chapito” Valdez, a right handed who only fought four times with 1-2-1, 1 KO record according to Boxrec before their bout in March.

To his shame, Sulaiman fulfilled his promise to Elorde and to then newly appointed Games and Amusement Board chairman Eric Buhain to re-install Rubillar to No. 3 for January 2005 rankings behind Vazquez and Aguirre.

Sulaiman also changed his mind and didn’t push for his proposed Ortiz-Rubillar elimination bout after Elorde made his offer to Aguirre.

According to observers, Sulaiman simply wanted to retain the WBC light flyweight title in Mexico or in America while ignoring the much deserving contenders from Asia.

On the other hand, despite Sulaiman’s claim that Viloria is from the USA, the 24-year old former Olympian that was born and raised in Hawaii is a full-blooded Filipino and loves being classified as Filipino.

Rubillar, a two-time WBC International champion, once fought for IBF minimuweight title against African Zolani Pethelo in Dec. 1999 and WBC light-flyweight interim title also against Arce in Oct. 2001. Both bouts went in distance.