By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Despite the eagerness of Oscar De La Hoya and his Golden Boy Promotions to push undefeated WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista into a title fight against WBO super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon of Mexico, Butista’s manager, the widely respected Tony Aldeguer refuses to rush the 19 year old sensation.
De Leon who won the title by a unanimous decision over Thailand’s Sod Looknongyangtoy last October 29 is a 25 year old southpaw with a 25 knockouts in 27 wins and only one defeat. De Leon who sparred with OPBF super flyweight champion Z “The Dream” Gorres at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym defends his title on Saturday against undefeated Alejandro Barrera who has a record of 12 KO’s in 18 wins and is the WBC Continental Americas featherweight champion.
In a long distance telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Aldeguer said “all depends on Rey’s July 2 fight against veteran Alejandro Felix Montiel who has a record of 51-7 with 30 KO’s. Aldeguer said “they must have talked about it but I have not at all said ‘yes’ and the final decision is with me.”
Aldeguer stressed that everything hinges on the result of Bautista’s next fight against Montiel and the outcome of the De Leon-Barrera battle. The astute boxing patron said he had seen De Leon spar with Gorres and “can make an assessment” of him. He also noted that his sensational third round KO of Nicragua’s Roberto Bonilla was the first time Bautista fought at 122 pounds and he wants to know what his weight would be when he climbs into the ring.
Aldeguer noted that Bautista is now “a very hot item in the States but one boo boo and he would be in oblivion.