By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista yesterday vowed to make “all the sacrifices necessary” to fulfill the hopes of his countrymen and become a world champion.
Bautista who arrived aboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Los Angeles to a warm welcome at the Centennial Airport at dawn was met at the airport by well-known Cebu promoter and boxing manager Sammy Gello-ani and a team from Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today.
The undefeated 19 year old was whisked to Manila City Hall for the customary flag-raising ceremony where he was the special guest of Mayor Lito Atienza along with SEA Games rowing triple gold medallist Reynaldo Isidro before a huge crowd which included congressmen, justices, councilors and city employees.
Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim who promoted the blockbuster “Bakbakan sa Tagbilaran” in which Bautista destroyed Tanzania’s Obote “Thunder” Ameme in two rounds also joined Mayor Atienza in congratulating Bautista, an adopted “Son of Manila” and a Boholano.
Atienza exhorted Bautista to train hard and stay disciplined because the Filipino people were looking to him as another future world champion in the mould of ring idol Manny Pacquiao. After watching a tape of the fight with Gerardo Espinoza in which Bautista was downed in the second round, Mayor Atienza expressed his admiration for the courage and fighting spirit of Bautista who carried the attack to the Mexican veteran up to the end of the fight.
Bautista disclosed that he had received a text from Pacquiao right after the fight which Pacquiao followed on television in which he said “ you have a great heart and the spirit of a warrior but you need to mature and need to be smart.” The views of Pacquiao were shared by Manila Sports Council chairman Ali Atienza himself a former Asian taekwondo champion who said Bautista was too eager to finish off his opponent and rushed at him instead of biding his time after the knockdown in round two.
Bautista welcomed Pacquiao’s advice and stressed he would “do whatever I need to do to gain maturity as a fighter. I will train hard because I know I have shortcomings and add to my strengths. No matter how difficult it will be, I will do it.”
Gello-ani said there were plans for Bautista to return to Los Angeles to resume training under Freddie Roach at his Wild Card gym on January 15 because of a possible fight in the US sometime in February. However, Gello-ani said there was nothing definite as yet. He said Bautista’s manager, respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer would make a final decision on future plans which include the possibility of a title defense for Bautista alongside Z “The Dream:” Gorres in Gorres’ planned March 18 OPBF super flyweight title fight against former champion Waenpetch Chuwatana at the Araneta Coliseum.
