RING sensation Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista, who has often been referred to as the next Manny Pacquiao, said he is ready to wage war against Brazilian super bantamweight champion Giovanni Andrade, a veteran of 61 fights.
The 36-year-old Andrade has downplayed the challenge of the 20-year-old banger from Bohol, who is eager to get into the ring after a virus infection and a hairline fracture on his collarbone while shadow boxing, forced him out of two big fights in the US.
But Bautista, who has a ring record of 20-0 with 15 knockouts has put the unfortunate setbacks aside and is hell-bent on making up for lost time when he battles the wily Andrade.
The Bautista-Andrade fight which is on the undercard of the top quality middleweight title fight between Winky Wright and Ike Quartey at St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa , Florida will be telecast by Solar Sports at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Bautista, who has trained rigorously at the Wild Card Gym of celebrated trainer Freddie Roach, assisted by outstanding Filipino trainer and former world minimum weight title challenger Edito ?Ala? Villamor said Roach had been concentrating on honing his defensive skills since offensively, Bautista has the power and the variety of punches to get the job done.
The Filipino said his trainers have been instilling in him the discipline to keep off the ropes and to work on his defense and his footwork, as well as to try not to keep too wide a stance. A quick learner, Bautista was introduced at the pre-fight press conference by the great Oscar De la Hoya as the next Manny Pacquiao, although the Filipino himself does not like to be compared to the Pacman, saying there is only one Manny Pacquiao.
Bautista?s last ring appearance was on May 20, when he destroyed Roberto Bonilla in three rounds while Andrade is coming off an Aug. 24 clash with Sixto Vera Espinola, who was decked twice in the second and twice in the fourth round before calling it quits in the fourth round in a World Boxing Commission title fight.
