IBO PRESIDENT URGES RUBILLAR REMATCH
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 11 Mar 2010
IBO president Ed Levine has spared his organization some embarrassment over the patently hometown decision that robbed Filipino veteran Juanito Rubillar of the world light flyweight title which was effectively gifted to South African Hekkie Budler by the three judges who, in stark violation of the IBO’s pronouncements on judges neutrality, were all South Africans.
In a communication to Rubillar’s manager, Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr, Levine noted that while Elorde spoke about filing a protest he actually didn’t. However, Levine informed Elorde “I intend to strongly encourage and recommend to Golden Gloves (the promoter) and Hekkie Budler that they give an immediate rematch to Rubillar."
Earlier, the assistant to the IBO president Maria Canizares informed Elorde that in order to file a protest the IBO needed “an actual letter requesting an appeal and stating the reasons for the protest. We will also need three videos of the fight as well as $1,000 to cover the costs of the appeal.”
The South African media universally criticized the decision while others took pot shots at the IBO. One newspaper said that “after six years in which the title was curiously listed as vacant, the IBO association has at last a junior flyweight champion in South Africa’s Hekkie Budler. But like many things associated with the maverick organization, it was tainted in controversy.”
The newspaper noted that while an “unmarked, composed Juaniro Rubbilar of the Philippines appeared to outclass Budler for much of the 12 round fight after a slow start in the opening three rounds, a panel of judges made up of three South Africans saw it fit to award the decision to their battered, out-fought and out-punched countryman.”
The Sunday Times in an article by David Isaacson ran a headline which stated “ Budler Burgles Title” in which he noted that Rubillar hurt Budler in the fourth round and by the sixth round the Filipino “had taken control from the outside as well, attacking the body with heavy hooks and forcing Budler to fight on the back foot. By the 11th round Budler was missing with too many punches while soaking up too many in return. For the second half of the fight Rubillar looked like the champion.”
In the latest story out of South Africa, S y Lerman of the South African Press Agency reported that a rematch is being mooted after the fight was described variously as “a burgle” and “a decision tainted in controversy and an injustice that can do South African boxing no good.”
Amidst calls for a rematch promoter Rodney Berman said that whle he supported the idea “in principle” there were a number of obstacles to overcome stating that “in the first instance we have to establish that the two boxers and their handlers want the fight while there is the issue of a suitable date and the IBO sanctioning a rematch” although Berman conceded “there is no doubt about the drawing power of a rematch.”
Rubillar and his manager “Bebot” Elorde would love nothing more than a rematch with neutral ring officials while the IBO whose activities SAPA noted “range from the sublime to the ridiculous” would itself benefit from a rematch in which “their own principles regarding judges are implemented.”
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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