Is it finally going to happen? Every Filipino fight fan has been waiting for it for the past couple of years. Rey “Boomboom” Bautista , Candijay, Bohol’s favorite son, will get his first crack at a world title belt.
He will be facing Daniel Ponce de Leon of Mexico, the defending WBO 122 LB. titlist, who left a bitter after taste in the mouth of Filipino boxing aficionados last March with his decision win over former WBC 115 lb. world titlist Gerry Penalosa.
This is a match up that has wall to wall carpet bombing written all over it. Both protagonists thrive on aggressiveness and rarely back off from heavy exchanges. They have a combined 45 KOs between them with Bautista having a 73 percent KO rate while Ponce deLeon has an 87 percent KO rate. All of Bautista’s knockout wins have happened inside six rounds.
Bautista has two fisted power as his ring name so obviously suggests. His crisp left hook will be his main weapon against the southpaw Ponce deLeon. He should also time his overhand right so as to catch De Leon’s habitual wide swings.
De Leon’s trainers will of course try to make adjustments to this but I feel this will somehow unravel during the course of the fight. Against Bautista, he will be facing a natural superbantamweight and Bautista is a stronger puncher than Penalosa.
Ponce De Leon (31-1 , 28KO) of course has championship experience having defended his title four times. His one punch 52 second knockout title win over Thai Sod Looknongyangtoy is a favorite internet video among boxing fans.
Bautista (23-0, 16KO) has been knocked down before. He has also exhibited the raw courage to get up and come back for more. He has shown poise when the fight goes the distance. But this will be his debut on the world championship stage. This will be a totally different high-pressure experience for him.
Now only the venue remains in question. But wherever that may be, he has to dig in deep and be prepared for the toughest fight of his young career.
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