Former WBC secretary-general Rudy Salud said yesterday it’ll be an uphill climb for Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista to dethrone WBO superbantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon of Mexico in their scheduled 12-round bout at the Arco Arena in Sacramento on Aug. 11 but hoped the Candijay, Bohol, challenger will get the job done just the same.
Salud confided to The STAR that he’s not upbeat on Bautista’s chances to beat Ponce de Leon.
“Boom Boom and his trainer Edito (Villamor) came to see me before they left for Los Angeles to train at the Wild Card Gym last month,” said Salud. “I told Edito it may be too soon for Boom Boom to fight somebody like Ponce de Leon. Boom Boom is only 21. It will take a few more years for his bones and muscles to fully develop. I would rather Boom Boom fight for the world title when he’s 24 or at the earliest, 22. That way, his body will be ready for bigger fights.”
Salud said Villamor intimated that Boom Boom himself asked for the chance to fight Ponce de Leon.
“I don’t want Boom Boom to lose heart in case he doesn’t beat Ponce de Leon,” said Salud. “I know someday, he’ll become a world champion because he has the heart and the desire.”
Salud said Ponce de Leon, who is of Tarahumara Indian descent, is not easy to hit and packs a wallop.
“If you study Ponce de Leon’s style, you’ll notice his punches seem like slaps but if you look carefully, you’ll find he hits with his knuckles,” said Salud. “It’s almost like Muhammad Ali. You think he’s just slapping his opponent but he’s really hitting hard with his knuckles.”
Salud said Ponce de Leon’s failure to stop Gerry Pe?alosa last March is no indication that he’s not a power puncher.
“It’s not right to use Gerry as a barometer to evaluate Ponce de Leon’s ability,” said Salud. “Gerry’s a slick boxer. Freddie Roach admitted he has never seen a more proficient technical fighter. Even Manny Pacquiao will have difficulty knocking out Gerry. If not for Gerry’s age and size, he should be able to win another world title. Maybe, he still will. But to think Ponce de Leon will be an easy opponent for Boom Boom because Gerry went the distance with him is not right.”
Ponce de Leon, 26, won the WBO 122-pound crown two years ago and has since repulsed four challengers to raise his record to 31-1, with 28 KOs. Bautista’s record is 23-0, with 17 KOs.
Salud said an example of a fighter who was pushed to the limit too early is former IBF lightmiddleweight titlist Fernando Vargas.
“Vargas was a prodigy who turned pro at 19 and fought Tito Trinidad a few days before he turned 23,” said Salud. “His body was never allowed to develop because he was rushed into big fights. By the time he fought Trinidad, he had cracks in his body and chinks in his armor. He was 24 when he was knocked out by Oscar de la Hoya. Vargas is now 29 and hasn’t fought in a year. I don’t want what happened to Vargas to happen to Boom Boom.”
Salud said he has the same advice for rising star A. J. Banal.
“Banal is only 18,” said Salud. “He has looked good against opponents who are not of high caliber. But he shouldn’t be pushed too hard.”
Banal, a superflyweight, is taking on former WBC lightflyweight champion Eric Ortiz in the undercard of the Ponce de Leon-Bautista mainer.
Bautista and Banal are promoted by Golden Boy in the US.
“There are both good and bad points in tying up with Golden Boy,” said Salud. “It’s good that Boom Boom and A. J. are being given big breaks in the US but maybe, they’re being pushed too early. I only hope that Boom Boom and A. J. are ready and mature enough to beat their next opponents.”
