By Ronnie Nathanielsz

WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista got his first taste of what its like to spar against a world champion when he went four eventful rounds with IBF junior featherweight champion Israel Vasquez at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach in Los Angeles last Friday.

Trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor told Manila Standard Today that Bautista who is regarded as one of the Philippines "Champions of the Future" sparred four rounds with Vasquez and “didn’t back off.” According to Bautista’s manager Tony Aldeguer, Roach has “accepted Bautista under his wings and is personally supervising his daily training chores.” Bautista has been training daily at the Wild Card Gym since March 21 and his regimen includes thirty  minutes with the punch mitts, ten minutes on the speed ball and a few rounds on the heavy bag.

However, the most punishing part are the power push-ups and the abdominal drills which, according to Aldeguer “leaves the youthful Bautista all drained out and with body aches all over.” In his sparring session with Vasquez who is a regular sparring partner of Ring Magazine and IBA featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao, the 18 year old Bautista more than held his own despite being taking on a heavier and more experienced boxer.

Villamor reported that Bautista “showed no respect” for Vasquez and engaged him in some torrid exchanges although the IBF champion clearly had the edge over the excited and anxious 18 year old Filipino. Bautista later said “I was still very tense and excited because it was my first time to trade blows with a world champion and besides I wanted to impress Freddie Roach who was in my corner. I am sure I will do better the next time.

According to Villamor the next time will be tomorrow but he did not know who Bautista’s sparring partner will be.

Villamor was so impressed with the showing of the undefeated Bautista that he gave him a high five after the workout. Villamor said Bautista “unquestionably has guts and power but lacks maturity and experience and that is why we are here with Roach.” Well known Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer who manages Bautista said he had “forged a gentleman’s agreement with Roach to “handle the training of Bautista and to act as his chief second in all his fights in the US.”

Bautista who  has a record of 18-0 with 11 knockouts is scheduled to battle a Mexican opponent in Cebu in June after which he plans to return to Los Angeles to continue training at the Wild Card Gym.