RUBILLAR ILL, OPBF TITLE DEFENSE POSTPONED
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 11 Nov 2007
OPBF light flyweight champion Juanito Rubillar?s mandatory title defense against South Korean champion Byung Joo Lee which was scheduled to take place on November 12 has been postponed for Friday. November 16 at the San Andres Sports Center.
Rubillar?s manager Gabriel ?Bebot? Elorde said Rubillar got wet during a heavy downpour after a courtesy call on Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and was down with a cough and cold and body aches which prompted Dr. Benjamin Serrano to prescribe three days of bed rest.
Elorde said he was assured by Dr. Serrano that Rubillar would be ready for the official weigh-in on Thursday. However, there were boxing people who expressed concern over whether Rubillar would be one hundred percent fit to fight on Friday.
Korean challenger Lee, obviously got a confidence boost following reports of Rubillar?s illness and predicted he would not only win the OPBF title but do so by a knockout within three rounds.
The No.1 ranked OPBF light flyweight has a record of 8-3 with 2 knockouts. He is an orthodox fighter who stands 5?5? and is 24 years old. Lee won the vacant Korean light flyweight title with a fourth round knockout over Yong Suk In last February 6 and successfully defended the crown with a unanimous ten round decision over Hak Sun Choi on April 28.
The veteran southpaw Rubillar is 30 years old and has a record of 40-10-7 with 18 knockouts. Rubillar who is managed by Gabriel ?Bebot? Elorde won the vacant OPBF title with a seventh round TKO over tough Indonesian Irfan Ogah who had a record of 16-1-4 with 7 knockouts.
Rubillar scored a smashing fifth round knockout over Japan?s Ken Nakajima on June 24 this year, sending the Japanese into retirement.In his last fight on September 15, Rubillar scored a second round knockout over Philippine No. 10 Arnel Tadena. Rubillar is currently rated No. 3 by the WBC.
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