Rey Bautista Ready To Go "Boom Boom" on Marbun
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
After an eleven month layoff following surgery to remove a broken bone in his left wrist and have a piece of bone grafted in its place, one-time world title prospect Rey Bautista is ready to go “boom boom” when he takes on tough Marangin “Dinamita” Marbun, Indonesia’s super bantamweight champion at the ballroom of the plush Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City on Friday.
ALA Gym’s respected patron Tony Aldeguer said Bautista was in great shape and confident of regaining his old devastating form in his comeback fight after a disappointing eight round unanimous decision loss to Mexico’s Heriberto Ruiz last November 22 when the fracture in his wrist was discovered.
Aldeguer realizes that the fight against Marbun who has won his last eight fights, five of them this year, will be a real test of whether Bautista is ready to return to the world stage as a future title contender. Bautista himself believes he is ready to regain his status as a worthy title challenger and plans to go “boom boom” and thereby live up to his monicker in a determined effort to redeem his image.
One of the most charismatic young fighters from the ALA Gym, fight fans are eager to see the 22 year old Bautista in action again and ticket sales have reportedly been brisk because of his drawing power.
The WBC interim International Championship is expected to be an action-packed battle since the 24 year old Indonesian champion is not known to back off from a challenge. Marbun won the Indonesian title with a ten round split decision over Carlos Lopez last January 3 and has had three successful defenses since then. His last fight was a ten round draw with Sonny Manakane last August 1.
Aldeguer told BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that Bautista’s left hand which was operated on some months ago has stood up well in sparring over the past couple of weeks and he is hoping it will withstand the battle against Marbun. Before his loss to Ruiz, Bautista won the WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight title with a rousing second round TKO of Mexican Eden Marquez on August 30, 2008.
Two other exciting prospects from the ALA Gym will also spice up the fight card which will be telecast by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN over Studio 23 and will also be beamed “live” to Thailand.
17 year old Jason Pagara who has a record of only one defeat as against 18 wins, with 10 knockouts will clash with bull-strong Thai fighter Decha Bankluaygym (29-9-3,16 KO’s) while hard-hitting southpaw Czar Amonsot (19-3-1,11 KO’s) who is best remembered for his bloody war with reigning world lightweight champion Michael Katsidis of Australia in Las Vegas will take on WBO Asia Pacific Lightweight Champion, Jesus Muzaka (16-7,8 KOs) of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Also on the card will be world rated WBO Asia Pacific flyweight champion Pramuansak Posuwan (45-3-1, 24 KO’s) who will provide a real challenge to promising Marjun Yap (11-2,5 KO’s). Posuwan lost to Puerto Rico’s Jose “Carita” Lopez in a bid for the vacant WBO crown title which Lopez in turn lost to 18 year old Filipino, “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona last September 4 in Canada.
