By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Showing the kind of commitment synonymous with fighters from the ALA Gym of respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer, WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista returns this morning from Los Angeles, ready to resume training for his showdown against veteran Alejandro Felix Montiel at the Araneta Coliseum on July 2.
Aldeguer said Bautista will miss this Sunday’s clash between OPBF super flyweight champion Z “The Dream” Gorres and Pedro Rincon Miranda who replaced come-backing Jose Laureano. The tough Colombian has a record of 25 knockouts in 30 wins with 10 defeats and 2 draws and is expected to give the flashy southpaw Gorres all he can handle.
Bautista who scored a sensational third round knockout victory over Roberto Bonilla last Sunday on the undercard of the Marco Antonio Barrera-Rocky Juarez super featherweight title fight is eager to get back into the gym to stay in shape for the battle with Montiel which is expected to be another tough test en route to a possible world title shot.
However, Aldeguer has made it clear he won’t rush Bautista indicating he wants a couple more fights as a super bantamweight. His position was supported by trainer Freddie Roach who pointed out that the Bohol banger is just 19 years old. Roach told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that Bautista, his version of the “Baby Faced Assassin” was a “killer in the ring who likes to hurt people” and predicted a great future for him but opted for a title shot one year from now.
Roach was also enamored with Gorres who, according to well-known manager Sammy Gello-ani has “looked sharp in sparring and in top shape and ready to put on a good show.” Gorres has sparred at the Wild Card Gym with Daniel Ponce De Leon who defends his WBO super bantamweight title this weekend as well as IBF super bantamweight champion Israel Vasquez and former flyweight challenger Jose Navarro.
At a pre-fight press conference at the Home Depot in Carson City, Gorres promised to “give a good fight and bring honor to my country.”
