By Ronnie Nathanielsz
World rated Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista is definitely out of the undercard in the Marco Antonio Barrera super featherweight title rematch against Rocky Juarez on September 16 in Las Vegas.
In an email to Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Golden Boy Promotions vice president and international matchmaker Eric Gomez said "Boom Boom is now out. He was seen by a doctor (Freddie Roach's friend here in Los Angeles) and cannot fight forn six weeks."
Golden Boy Promotions who have a promotional deal to handle Bautista and OPBF super flyweight champion Z "The Dream" Gorres said the "immediate plan was for Gorres to replace him."
However, Gomez added "we don't think Gorres will get his US visa on time" and they might have to go with a local boy.
Bautista was hurt while shadow boxing at the Wild Card Gym last week and an x-ray showed he had suffered a hairline fracture of the collar bone which caused pain and according to Filipino trainer Edito "Ala"
Villamor, Bautista couldn't even jog because of the pain. It was also swollen.
This will be the second unfortunate incident for Bautista in recent months. Hit by a virus infection the emerging ring sensation was unable to fight Mexico's Alejandro Flix Montiel on the undercard of the Mano-A-Mano showdown between Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao and Mexico's Oscar Larios last July 2. His latest injury prevents him from fighting Brazilian super bantamweight Giovanni Andrade causing the undefeated 20 year old with a record of 20-0 with 15 knockouts to feel terribly depressed.
Bautista previously fought three times in the US scoring a third round KO over Felix Flores Murillo on September 10, 2005 followed by an eight round unanimous decision over Gerardo Espinoza last December 23 and a third round KO over Roberto Bonilla on May 20 this year.
Bautista is currently ranked No. 1 by the WBO and OPBF and No. 5 by the WBC. He recently relinquished his WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight title to move up to the super bantamweight division.