RISING SUPER-BANTAMWEIGHT Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista is indeed making his presence felt in the US boxing scene.
Maxboxing.com, a leading website for fight fans, featured the Bohol-bred and Cebu-based banger on the list of 12 prospects who are raring to make it big in 2007.
The piece was written by Doug Fischer, who had praises about the Filipino puncher trained by the venerable Freddie Roach.
“The Philippines’ Bautista is an absolute marvel at age 20, an athletic aggressor with fluid moves and KO power in both hands,” wrote Fisher of the prot?g? of Tony Aldeguer and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.
“The WBO’s No. 1 contender in the 122-pound division has the physical tools and the desire to become a world champion, all he lacks is maturity and experience, which he is gaining at an alarming rate. In late ’05 he was dropped en route to a narrow eight-round decision over well-traveled journeyman Gerardo Espinoza, but based on his two fights in ’06 ‘Boom Boom’ is rapidly coming of age as he quickly dispatched of veterans Roberto Bonilla and Giovanni Andrade in frightening fashion,” said Fischer.
“There are members of Bautista’s team and even a few folks within his promotional company (GBP), who believe that he has enough natural talent and innate fierceness to take on and beat dangerous WBO 122-lb titlist Daniel Ponce de Leon right now. Fortunately, his trainer Freddie Roach knows there’s no reason to rush the young man and there’s more for him to learn about his craft before he goes for a world title.”
Bautista, who sports a 21-0 win-loss card with 16 knockouts, made his US debut in March 2005 in Honolulu but he began to earn raves from the highly discriminating American fans in September 2005 when he bludgeoned Felix Flores at the Staples Center.
