“I’m not afraid of anyone,” said Viloria who postponed his departure for Honolulu until next week because of business meetings. “I’ll fight Rubillar anywhere, anytime. But the offer has to go through Gary and Top Rank because they’re looking out for my career in the long term.”

Viloria’s father Ben said a Rubillar defense will do little to advance the champion’s career and to make him come closer to achieving his ultimate aim of a big money fight against Jorge Arce or Vic Darchinyan. He explained that planning for Viloria’s future is not done on a fight to fight basis. The plan must be guided by a vision or direction and a goal.

“The idea is to increase Brian’s marketability with every fight,” said Viloria’s father. “ We will confer with Gary and Top Rank when we go back to the U.S. on what to do next.”

If the WBC orders a purse bid, Viloria’s father said Top Rank will make sure the champion’s interest is protected.

“Since Brian is the champion, he’ll dictate the terms of his next fight,” said Viloria’s father. “I don’t think the challenger should dictate the conditions.”

In an e-mail to the Philippine Star the other day, Gittelsohn was upset that Rubillar’s manager Gabriel (Bebot) Elorde, Jr. coursed his offer through third parties and media.

“ I’m certain that Mr. Elorde is aware that I represent Brian and that Top Rank is Brian’s promoter,” said Gittelsohn. “It is curious, indeed, that neither Top Rank nor I has had a single conversation with Mr. Elorde or anyone else purporting to represent Rubillar.”

Gittelsohn confirmed that a few days ago, he received a letter from WBC president Jose Sulaiman announcing the start of the negotiation period for a mandatory defense against Rubillar.

“Although I learned that Mr. Elorde has contacted the WBC and some Filipino journalists with an offer to promote a Viloria defense against Rubillar, neither Mr. Elorde nor anyone else on behalf of Rubillar has actually attempted to make direct contact with us,” continued Gittelsohn.

“I and Top Rank habitually negotiate the details of a fight directly with principals. If Mr. Elorde prefers to make his offers to reporters and other third parties, he is perfectly free to do so but it is a business practice that makes no sense to me. Accordingly, neither Top Rank nor I believes it is productive to respond publicly to phantom offers.”

Gittelsohn, however, admitted that Sulaiman’s letter on a possible purse bid could be “the driver to open discussions between the principals.” He assured that no matter how the chips fall in the bidding, Viloria is and will remain the WBC champion “until such time he decides to move up in weight to seek bigger challenges.”

Gittelsohn said Elorde’s tactic of avoiding direct contact with him and Top Rank is “indirect, unorthodox and designed for ulterior purposes.”

“Mr. Sulaiman acted properly by passing along the communication to Top Rank and me,” noted Gittelsohn. “We have received many direct offers for Brian’s services and we are sorting out our options with the focused goal of advancing his career and affording the public the bouts they want to see.”

As for fighting in the country, Gittelsohn said it would be the fulfillment of one of Viloria’s dreams and guaranteed that “it will happen in the not too distant future.”

“Brian is deeply moved and honored by the support he has received from his Filipino countrymen,” said Gittelsohn. “Brian’s success and the success of other Filipino boxers competing on the world stage has had the noble effect of instilling swelling national pride in Filipino fighters and fans. Accordingly, it would not be Brian’s choice to fight a fellow Filipino like Rubillar and Brian’s win would be a bittersweet victory.”

Gittelsohn declined to speculate on how far-reaching is the impact of Viloria fighting here on the world market but said Sulaiman is proud of his accomplishments and the WBC Board has given numerous accolades to the fighter.

Regarding Elorde’s offer of a $150,000 tax-free purse for Viloria, the champion’s father wasn’t fazed.

“I’m sure Gary and Top Rank will consider the offer but it doesn’t mean they’ll accept,” said the father.

Nothing is final on whom Viloria fights next. World Boxing Organization (WBO) minimumweight champion Ivan Calderon, International Boxing Federation (IBF) lightflyweight titlist Ulises Solis and Arce are often mentioned as candidates. But Viloria is in no hurry as he awaits the recovery of his right hand, which was hampered by a hairline fracture during his recent defense against Jose Antonio Aguirre in Las Vegas.

If Elorde hopes to clinch a deal, he must realize that only by negotiating face-to-face with Gittelsohn and Top Rank officials can the impasse be resolved and coursing the offer through media or third-party brokers may jeopardize the entire project.