By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight champion Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and AJ “Bazooka” Banal will train in Puerto Rico under celebrated trainer Freddie Roach for their crucial bouts on the undercard of “The World Awaits” blockbuster showdown between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr on May 5.
Bautista who scored a third round knockout over Mexican Marino Montiel Gonzalez in the classy “Moment of Truth” fight card at the Cebu City Sports Complex last Saturday will face undefeated Sergio Medina of Mexico in a WBO super bantamweight title eliminator on the pay-per-view card.
Medina has an impressive record of 28-0 with 16 knockouts while Bautista is 22-0 with 17 KO's.
The 17 year old Banal who impressed WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel with his first round demolition of Thailand’s Komrit 3K Battery will also see action on the De La Hoya-Mayweather card just prior to the Bautista-Medina fight.
Golden Boy Promotions vice president Eric Gomez said yesterday that De La Hoya himself wanted the two emerging ring sensations from the famed ALA Gym of respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer to train at his training camp in Puerto Rico under Roach.
Well known promoter Sammy Gello-ani said Filipino trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor who is in Philadelphia for the upcoming fight of Robert Allanic will join Bautista and Banal in Puerto Rica during their training.
