Bautista vs Barrera Rematch on January 29 in Cebu City
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
MANILA, Philippines -- Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista sparred even on Christmas Day and trained right through the holidays for his rematch with Mexican featherweight Alejando Barrera on January 29 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City.
Tony Aldeguer of the ALA Gym told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Bautista had never trained as hard because he knew how crucial the rematch would be against the hard-hitting Barrera.
Bautista won by a fourth round TKO in their first meeting after referee Tony Pesons stopped the fight on the recommendation of the ring doctor due to a nasty cut on the Mexican’s left eyelid.
Barrera’s handlers claimed the cut was caused by a headbutt but TV slo-mo replays showed that in the accidental clash of heads, Bautista’s head connected on the left side of Barrera and not on the right where the cut was.
After accepting defeat, Barrera asked for a rematch, which Bautista gamely agreed on.
Aldeguer said Bautista had sparred with bigger fighters such as Jason Pagara and James Bacon and also the brother of light welterweight Mark Jason Melligen and looked good.
