MANILA, Philippines — Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista got a feel of what’s it like to be a star Thursday.
The unbeaten Filipino boxing star flew business class from Las Vegas and was warmly received by fans on his team’s arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Para?aque City.
The 20-year-old Bautista, accompanied by another undefeated fighter, AJ “Bazooka” Banal, his manager Michael Aldeguer and promoter Sammy Gello-ani, relegated noted American promoter Bob Arum, who took the same flight, to the sideline.
Bautista and the 18-year-old Banal were later whisked off to television stations in Manila before they capped their day by attending a boxing event in Quezon City promoted by Gello-ani.
Bautista, who beat erstwhile unbeaten Sergio Manuel Medina underneath the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather clash in Las Vegas on May 5, said he was too happy to be back home.
The card, dubbed “The World Awaits” generated a new record 2.15 million pay-per-view buys, with the Bautista-Medina fight described by the American media as “the one that saved the promotion” and was listed a possible “Fight of the Year” candidate.
Bautista and Banal are slated to arrive in Cebu on Friday, and will motor from the Cebu-Mactan International Airport to the Marriott Hotel.
In the afternoon, Bautista will take a trip to his hometown in Tagbilaran City where Mayor Dan Neri Lim will roll out the red carpet for him.
After a two-week rest, Bautista is slated to be back in the gym to prepare for his big fight with World Boxing Organization super bantamweight champ Daniel Ponce De Leon which will headline the “World Cup” of boxing card sometime in August or September this year.
