By Ronnie Nathanielsz

 

WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista has looked impressive in a sparring session with reigning WBC super bantamweight champion Israel Vasquez at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach in Los Angeles who earlier described Bautista as a "baby-faced killer in the ring who wants to hurt people."

 

Filipino trainer Edito "Ala" Villamor reported that Bautista went three rounds with the world champion and also sparred three more rounds with hard-hitting Juan Diaz and put on a far more impressive showing compared to his previous sparring session. Vasquez is the same fighter who beat Oscar Larios by a third round TKO to retain his title last December. Larios is scheduled to battle Filipino ring idol  Manny Pacquiao at the Araneta Coliseum on July 2.

 

In stepping up his training for a scheduled fight against Roberto Bonilla of Nicaragua on the undercard of the WBC super featherweight title fight between champion Marco Antonio Barrera and Rocky Juarez at the Staples Center on May 20, Bautista did three rounds on the double-end bag, 10 minutes on the speed ball, skipped rope for another 10 minutes before doing circuit training and abdominal exercises.

 

Both Bautista and OPBF super flyweight champion Z "The Dream" Gorres who is scheduled to fight on the undercard of IBF bantamweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez’ title defense against Fernando Montiel at the Home Depot in Carson City on May 27 jogged for around 35 minutes before driving to the gym at 10:30 a.m. Villamor reported that Gorres also had a good sparring session but appeared a little tired.

 

Gorres clashes with Jose Laureano of Puerto Rico who appears to be making a comeback after a a few years absence from the ring based on the records of Boxrec.com. The website reported that Laureano has a record of 18-9-1 with 8 knockouts. Gorres has a record of 23-1-1 with 12 KO's.

 

Bautista who has a record of 19-0 with 14 knockouts faces a tough opponent in Roberto Bonilla of Nicaragua who, despite suffering a seventh round TKO at the hands of Celestino Caballero last February 4 cannot be taken lightly.

 

Caballero had beaten both fancied Daniel Ponce de Leon and former super bantamweight champion Jose Luis Valbuena in IBF title eliminators and will soon be fighting for the vacant WBA crown. Prior to his loss to Caballero the 31 year old Bonilla scored an impressive sixth round TKO over rugged Luis Sandoval. Bonilla has a record of 23-7 with 14 KO’s.