By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista, regarded as the new boxing sensation behind Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao, leaves for Los Angeles on Thursday, eager to get back into the ring following a virus infection that unfortunately kept him from fighting Alejandro Felix Montiel last July 2 on the Pacquiao-Oscar Larios Mano-A-Mano fight card.
Bautista's manager, respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer said there was no word yet on a replacement for Bautista's original opponent Moises Gutierrez of Chile, on the undercard of the rematch between WBC super featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera and Rocky Juarez on September 18 in Las Vegas. Gutierrez, the super bantamweight champion of Chile and his group were reportedly denied a US visa forcing Golden Boy Promotions to look for a replacement.
Aldeguer said Golden Boy Promotions vice president and matchmaker Eric Gomez had told him they were "having a hard time getting a rated fighter" because they refused, not wishing to stake their ratings and their future unless really big money was involved. Besides, having seen Bautista in action in the US, rated fighters may not wish to tangle
with the undefeated Filipino who has a record of 20-0 with 15 knockouts.
The 20 year old Bautista will leave for Los Angeles with outstanding Filipino trainer Edito "Ala" Villamor, a former two-time world title challenger, to continue his training at the Wild Card Gym of the celebrated Freddie Roach. Roach has predicted that Bautista will become a world champion and says he loves the kid because "he wants to hurt
people. He is a killer in the ring" but a nice young man, outside.
