Rey ?Boom-Boom? Bautista?s meeting with Daniel Ponce de Leon was the match many Filipinos thought would be the crowning glory for this Team Pilipinas.
Until the opening bell. Or two-and-a-half minutes after the opening bell when Ponce de Leon, a battle-scarred warrior, finished off the 21-year-old Bautista with a left straight in a stunning first-round ending.
All the 23 wins that came before Saturday?s loss and all the hype as the next Manny Pacquiao appeared to collapse with Bautista who didn?t look a bit like the knockout machine against the tattooed, well-chiseled Ponce de Leon.
Bautista was understandably devastated, according to manager Tony Aldeguer who chose to remain with his family in Cebu where they watched the fight via the live feed from Sacramento.
?He got hit with a good clean punch. Well, great champions usually come back from defeats like that. We?ll see what will happen,? said Aldeguer ?He?s devastated and all he can say when I called him up was, ?Sorry sir, sorry sir.?
Bautista told scribes after the bout that he felt ?embarrassed? by the loss. But boxing columnist Doug Fischer commented in his web site that the Bohol native shouldn?t have.
?He?s a green prospect who had no business being installed as the No. 1 contender to the WBO?s 122-pound title. He?s a growing fighter who got caught by a mature fighter who just happens to be a murderous puncher,? said Fischer.
Bautista started rather stiff as soon as the bell signaling the start of the fight sounded, throwing aimless jabs and wandering left hooks that never found their mark.
Sensing the pressure to win resplendently so as to lessen the impact of his compatriots? humiliating losses to Filipino counterparts in this tournament, Ponce de Leon immediately seized upon Bautista?s tentative start.
Ponce de Leon, 27, was still letting loose his trademark wallops but was able to uncork one conventional left straight that hit Bautista smack on the face. In a split second, Bautista went stock-still then helplessly tumbled down the ropes.
Bautista stood on rubbery legs and tried to clear the cobwebs by shaking his head to get some coordination.
Ponce de Leon came down on Bautista like a raging bull with more punishing lefts, until referee John Schorle mercifully stopped the contest at the :30 mark of the round.
?I?m very emotional right now. This was for my country. I showed everybody who I am,? said Ponce de Leon after the bout. ?I came ready to throw hard punches. Unfortunately we didn?t win the World Cup but I knew I?m going to win so I can contribute to the World Cup.?
Toast to Cup
The Philippines bagged the World Cup by defeating Mexico, 5-1, thanks in large part to victories in the nontitle undercards.
The Filipinos actually clinched the title after winning the first four bouts in the six-match competition.
One-time world title challenger Z Gorres scored the fourth and deciding victory as he stopped former world champion Eric Ortiz in the eighth round of their 12-round encounter for the International Boxing Federation Intercontinental super-flyweight crown.
The southpaw Gorres dominated the slugfest with precise combinations, jabs and brilliant defense that frustrated Ortiz.
Gorres opened a gash on Ortiz?s left eyelid and immediately worked on it by connecting several stinging jabs until the referee asked the doctor to check on the cut.
Upon the advice of the ring doctor the bout was stopped because of the serious laceration on Ortiz?s eye, officially declaring Gorres winner by TKO at 2:15 of the eighth round.
It was an awe-inspiring win for Gorres as the bout got almost shelved after a slight tear was discovered on his eye just a few weeks ago.
Gorres had to undergo laser treatment for the injury that proved successful as he was eventually given a clean bill of health by California?s state commission.
Teen sensation AJ Banal ended his second US bout with a resounding success as he kayoed Jorge Cardenas with one stinging counter left hook in a super-fly match.
The 18-year-old Banal started the bout brandishing a much-improved defense as he parried Cardenas?s attacks with his arms and gloves.
Banal upped his record to 14-0-1, with 11 knockouts.
Diosdado Gabi drew first blood as he decisioned Jose Angel Beranza in an eight-round bantamweight clash.
Beranza actually started well by beating Gabi to the punch but surprisingly looked weary by the latter part of the second round.
A head butt by Beranza caused a cut on Gabi?s left eye, triggering off Gabi to go to the body which he did with success.
Gabi bagged the win by pouncing on Beranza?s torso in the last few rounds.
?I felt really good. I felt great because it was the World Cup. I did it for my country,? said Gabi after the bout.
The biggest surprise was the performance of RP bantamweight champion Michael Domingo who won by shutout in his six-round super-bantamweight battle with Miguel Roman.
Roman had no answer to Domingo?s impeccable counterpunching style the whole bout.
