World Boxing Organization Asia-Pacific bantam champ Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista will forego a planned August 19 bout in the United States, where he would have been the main event, in favor of a chance to see action in the September 10 undercard of the Erik Morales and Manny Pacquiao double-header.
The 19-year-old Bautista, who is currently in the United States training at Freddie Roach's gym in Los Angeles, will take on a soon-to-be-named foe in an 8-round fight that is expected to give the young phenom maximum exposure in the US.
"I cancelled the August 19 fight of Rey to concentrate on his Sept. 10 fight in the undercard of Pacquiao and Morales," said Cebuano sportsman Tony Aldeguer, Bautista's manager, in an interview yesterday.
The WBO no. 3 bantam contender Bautista, unbeaten in 16 fights with 12 KO's, had knocked out Mexican Gilberto Bolanos in his previous outing on June 11.
Meanwhile, WBO bantam champ Ratanachai Sor Vorapin, who successfully defended his title last August 5 in Phuket, Thailand with a majority decision win over Panamanian Mauricio Martinez, had informed that he is willing to risk his title against Bautista "even if the fight is held in the Philippines."
The veteran Vorapin was reacting to news reaching him that Bautista may challenge him in the future, possibly early next year.
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