 The day Rivero was due to arrive in San Juan for the match, Zabala received a phone call from Rivero's management saying that they wanted double the previously agreed-upon amount of money.Zabala paid him half of his requested payment upon arrival; however, he refused to pay the remaining different after the fight, citing the terms of the existing contract.Due to business reasons, by 1980, Zabala felt he had to leave San Juan.