by Ronnie Nathanielsz
In an impressive display of boxing skill and punching power, the Philippines scored a 4-0 sweep over The World in a blockbuster fight card at a jam-packed Pacific Ballroom of the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City Saturday.
The card presented by ALA Promotions in cooperation with ABS-CBN had its moment of disappointment when the main event between Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and Mexican warrior Alejandro “Zorrito” Barrera was stopped at 1:14 of the 4th round by referee Tony Pesons on instructions of ring physician Dr. Unabia after Barrera suffered a cut on his right eyebrow.
The initial impression was that the fight was stopped as Bautista caught Barrera with a clear head-butt on his left cheekbone since Pesons halted the action immediately. But while the TV slo-mo replay showed the head-butt, a review of the tape indicated that Pesons was correct when he ruled the cut was caused by a legitimate punch since it was on the opposite side of the head-butt..
The fans were unhappy as they were warming up to a ring war with both Bautista and Barrera throwing big shots to the body and the head and not backing off. Bautista’s left hand showed no signs of any ill-effects from surgery which forced him into a nine month layoff as he repeatedly jolted the head of Barrera with snappy lefts and clubbed him with overhand rights.
Barrera gamely traded punches but on two occasions appeared to spit out his mouthpiece to get a breather after being hurt by Bautista who improved his record to 29-2-0 with 22 knockouts.
Barrera, a cousin of Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera told the Inquirer that Bautista was a good fighter but claimed he was never hurt during some furious exchanges. In a post fight interview Bautista apologized to the fans for failing to knock out his opponent bur credited Barrera with being tough.
Barrera told us he wants a rematch to settle what both he and the fans thought was an inconclusive result and ALA Promotions patron Tony Aldeguer immediately agreed because it was an exciting fight while it lasted.
Heralded Pipino Cuevas Jr probably felt what it was like when his father, then WBA world welterweight champion Pipino Cuevas was hammered by Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns and lost his title in his twelfth defense in August 1980 as southpaw Jimrex Jaca set Cuevas up with a right and then nailed him with a devastating left straight that dropped the Mexican for the full count at 2:22 of the opening round.
World rated Milan Melindo, fighting as a flyweight studied Korean champion and OPBF rated Jin Man Jeon in the opening round before Melindo cracked him with a left uppercut and doubled up with a left straight on the right eye of the Korean who was momentarily blinded and hurt and unable to continue, giving the skilful Melindo a knockout at :43 seconds of the 2nd round.
Former WBO minimum weight champion Florante “Little Pacquiao” Condes dropped durable Pan Asia Boxing Association champion Sofyan Effendi in the 6th round with a hard right followed by a flurry of punches. As Effendi staggered to his feet and hung on to the ropes Condes went after him with another flurry but a low blow gave Effendi time to recover.
Condes won by a shutout 80-71 on the scorecards of all three judges and proved he was ready to fulfill his dream of regaining the world title after three or four more fights being lined up for him by ALA Promotions.