LOS ANGELES — American trainer Freddie Roach has dared the top fighters in the world to line themselves up for a fight with undefeated Filipino Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista.
“Line them all up. No problem,” Roach told this writer in an interview yesterday at the Wild Card Gym where Bautista bade farewell to his renowned trainer before flying to Manila with his team.
Bautista is set to arrive today in Manila accompanied by his Filipino promoter Sammy Gello-ani and trainer Edito Villamor.
Bautista kept his slate clean with a scintillating fourth-round TKO of Brazilian Giovanni Andrade in Tampa, Florida.
Roach is set to fly to Manila on Dec. 14 to attend the baptism of Manny Pacquiao’s daughter as well as the house inauguration of the Filipino icon.
In Manila, Bautista is set to meet with the media, including television giants ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. and Solar Sports Entertainment.
Meanwhile, the World Cup of boxing is fast taking shape as Gello-ani is currently negotiating with Golden Boy Promotions top executives and international matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz.
Gello-ani stressed that the Cup will most likely take place on Feb. 25, 2007, with Bautista likely to headline the historic event featuring Filipino challengers against Mexican world champions.
