By Ronnie Nathanielsz

 

Z “The Dream” Gorres and Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista said yesterday they have been training hard even during the holiday season and are confident of winning against Mexican champions in their world title battles scheduled for March 4 in Cebu City.

 

Gorres, the flashy southpaw  clashes with WBO super flyweight champion Fernando Montiel while the undefeated Bautista takes on hard-hitting WBO bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon in the headliner of the Philippines-Mexico World Cup promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and well-known Cebu promoter Sammy Gello-ani of the famed ALA Gym of respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer.

 

Gorres, Bautista and their Filipino trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor were special guests at a sumptuous luncheon hosted by the eminent lawyer Rudy Salud and his wife Pampin during their regular family gathering on Sunday at their residence in Grand Villas in Loyola Heights, Quezon City.

 

The two promising young fighters said they paid a courtesy call on Salud to receive his blessings before they leave today for Los Angeles to continue training at the Wild Card Gym of celebrated trainer Freddie Roach. Salud said that both he and Aldeguer were not managers but individuals who loved the sport and cared for Bautista and Gorres like fathers would.

 

Salud wished them the best of luck and hoped that they, like Manny Pacquiao, would bring honor and glory to our country.

 

Gorres brushed off the boast of Montiel (32-2-1, 24 KO’s) that he will “make sure Gorres does not finish the fight on his feet so I will not risk the title by a bad decision.” Gorres said there was no need for Montiel to worry about a hometown decision because he will take care of that himself by knocking out the Mexican. Gorres said Montiel “talks a lot. Let’s see what happens when we meet in the ring.”

 

Bauista conceded that Ponce De Leon was a tough opponent who had a solid punch but said he was “not afraid. His style suits me because he comes in all the time. I know how to take care of him” added the confident 20 year old who is undefeated in 21 fights with 16 knockouts.