By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista is ready to bang away when he battles Roberto “El Chucky” Bonilla on the undercard of the WBC super featherweight title fight between Marco Antonio Barrera and Rocky Juarez at the Staples Center tomorrow.
The charismatic 19 year old banger from Bohol was reported “ doing very well and very ready for the fight” according to his manager, respected Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer.
In a long disatance telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Aldeguer said Bautista who has a record of 19-0 with 14 knockouts would have no problem making the super bantamweight limit and was “in top shape.” The official weigh in will be today.
Bautista impressed media during a crowded press conference at the famous Max’s restaurant attended by Eric Gomez, vice president and matchmaker of Golden Boy Promotions and international matchmaker and adviser Sampson Lewkowicz as well as WBO Asia Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo, well known boxing manager Sammy Gello-Ani and Michael Aldeguer.
Following the press conference which was jam-packed with Filipino fans and media, Bautista was invited to the offices of Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions where he met CEO Richard Schaefer who told Bautista that if he put on a good showing against Bonilla he had a strong chance of seeing action on the undercard of De La Hoya’s planned title fight in September.
Aldeguer said Bautista was being extremely well treated by Golden Boy and was in high spirits even as they upped his purse for the Bonilla fight by $5,000 because of the impressive turnout and Bautista’s performance in the press conference.
Bautista is coming off a eighth round unanimous decision against tough Gerardo Espinoza of Mexico last December 23 while Bonilla who has a record if 22-7 with 13 KO’s lost by a seventh round TKO in a battle for the WBA interim super bantamweight title against Celestino Caballero last February 4 following an earlier sixth round TKO victory over fancied Luis Sandoval who was cut over both eyes prompting the referee to call a halt at 10 seconds into the sixth round.
