By Rey Danseco
UNBEATEAN Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista is slated to leave for Los Angeles on August 10 to begin his rigid training despite he has no idea on who will be his foe in a non-title fight next month.
Former world title challenger Edito Villamor will accompany Bautista in the long-trip from Cebu City in preparation for the anticipated 10-round fight on September 16 as one of the bouts under the rematch between Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera and American Rocky Juarez for the World Boxing Council super featherweight title at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Bautista will undergo a five week training period under well-known Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym for the scheduled fight.
Bautista’s Los Angeles-based promoter, Golden Boy of Oscar De La Hoya, is now looking for a new opponent after former Chilean bantamweight champion Moises ‘Matador’ Gutierrez was denied to enter the United States.
Golden Boy’s matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz told Bautista’s manager Sammy Gello-ani that Gutierrez was denied his US Visa application.
Gutierrez sports a 15-3 win-loss record with 9 knockouts was slated to climb the ring against the 20-year old power-puncher from Candijay, Bohol in a stipulated weight at super bantamweight.
It will be Bautista’s fourth appearance in the United States mainland and his second fight in heavier limit than his previous weight division of 118-pound. In March 2003, he initially fought before American audience in Honolulu, Hawaii where he disposed Thai Aree Phosuwangym in round 5.
“He has to get used to fighting in 122 lbs weight where he will be campaigning with the hope of ultimately getting his much awaited title shot next year,” assures Gello-ani.
Bautista sports with impressive 20-0 with 15 knockout s and is currently ranked No. 1 under WBO bantamweight king Jhonny Gonzalez of Mexico.
But with his difficulty to keep the weight at 5-foot-5, Bautista made his plan known that he wants to campaign in higher weight limit as he targets the WBO super bantamweight title of another Mexican Daniel Ponce de Leon, a 26-year old southpaw and also stands 5-foot-5 with a menacing 29-1 with 27 knockouts.
