Boxing promoter Gabriel (Bebot) Elorde Jr. yesterday called on the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) to crack down on unscrupulous agents enticing gullible fighters to renege on signed contracts with promises of big purses.
Elorde pointed to OPBF lightflyweight champion Juanito Rubillar as the latest victim of the subterfuge. He said his wife Arlene?s management contract with Rubillar expires in 2011 but the fighter accepted cash to sign up with another manager late last month.
Rubillar, 30, has sought GAB chairman Eric Buhain?s approval to terminate his contract with Elorde who recently received a registered letter from an address in Caloocan City advising him of the parting of ways. The letter was supposedly signed by Rubillar but Elorde doubted it because the surname was misspelled Rovillar.
Elorde said Rubillar was promised a $50,000 paycheck for fighting in the undercard of a Manny Pacquiao main event in Montreal, Canada and given a P13,000 signing bonus to switch.
When Elorde explained to Rubillar that there is no plan for Pacquiao to fight in Montreal, the fighter just appealed for his release because he could be jailed by ?very big people.? Apparently, Rubillar signed a management contract with another party and it was notarized in Las Vegas.
Elorde said Rubillar?s new contract is invalid because he was not in Las Vegas when it was notarized. Besides, Rubillar signed the contract under false premises.
?I won?t hold back Rubillar if he wants to leave but his new manager should buy out my contract,? said Elorde. ?My price is $20,000.?
Rubillar told Elorde he would pay the buy-out price after his fight in Montreal. But Elorde wouldn?t agree.
What?s worse, Elorde said Rubillar has inked a contract to defend his OPBF crown against Filipino champion Sonny Boy Jaro for a $10,000 purse in Binangonan on Feb. 29.
Elorde was dejected that Rubillar chose to leave his camp now that he?s close to another crack at the world title.
In the recent WBC convention, Elorde asked the Executive Board to recognize Rubillar as the mandatory challenger of 108-pound champion Edgar Sosa. WBC international head Mauro Betti of Italy blocked Elorde?s proposal, saying Rubillar is the No. 2, not No. 1, contender. WBC president Jose Sulaiman intervened and his solomonic solution of Rubillar fighting Omar Ni?o Romero for the right to challenge Sosa was subsequently approved.
The WBC has set a purse bidding for the Rubillar-Romero fight on Jan. 14 but it may be shelved if a plan to pit the Filipino against IBF champion Ulises Solis pushes through in March.
Elorde lashed out at Rubillar for being an ingrate.
?I lost money in a promotion where I wanted the WBC Board to see Rubillar in action last November,? said Elorde. ?That was when Rubillar stopped Byung Joo Lee in San Andres. I didn?t get any support from the local government except the free use of the stadium. But I did it to showcase Rubillar. Now, that he?s just one win away from fighting for the world title, he turns away and leaves me with no chance of recovering my investment.?
