by Ronnie Nathanielsz

WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista was scheduled to leave for Los Angeles yesterday for a crucial fight against tough Mexican Gerardo Espinoza at the Edgewater Casino in Laughlin, Nevada on December 23.

Bautista who has been in training since his smashing  second round  TKO win over Obote “Thunder” Ameme last November 19 in a spectacular fight card before some 25,000 fans in Tagbilaran City will step up preparations for the Espinoza fight at the Wild Card Gym of 2003 “Trainer of the Year” Freddie Roach.

Roach who supervised the training of Bautista for his US debut against Colombian veteran Felix Flores Murillo at the Staples Center last September 11 which Bautista won in a sensational third round knockout has predicted that the 19 year oldBautista will be the Philippines next world champion after ring idol Manny Pacquiao.

Bautista’s manager, respected Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer said Bautista will leave for Los Angeles with his Filipino trainer and former two-time world minimum weight challenger Edito “Ala” Villamor.

Aldeguer said the eight round bout which has been arranged by boxing man Michael Koncz who arranged the US debuts of Bautista and Manny Pacquiao’s younger brother Bobby Pacquiao as well as world-rated flyweight Diosdado “Prince” Gabi.

Koncz who was in the Philippines for the Bautista-Ameme  fight said Espinoza will be a tough opponent noting that he has a record of 26 knockouts in 28 wins as against nine losses. Koncz also noted that the 24 year old Mexican has fought some top-rated fighters including undefeated Jose Miguel Aquiniga to whom he dropped a ten round decision in June last year, Cruz Carbajal to whom Espinoza lost by an eighth round TKO in a WBO bantamweight title fight in October 2003  and Jorge Lacierva who beat him in a WBO NABO super bantamweight title bout in May 2003.

Bautista remains undefeated with a record of 18-0 with 14 knockouts and has won three of his last four fights by TKO and one by KO.

Aldeguer concedes that despite his impressive record Bautista still has much to learn and he won’t rush him . In  its November rankings Bautista was ranked as the top contender in the  bantamweight division but a world title fight doesn’t appear imminent.