I’LL be back.
These were the words that came out of the mouth of Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista when asked about his future following his failed bid for the world super-bantamweight crown.
The 21-year old Bautista debunked reports about his supposed retirement which spread like wildfire moments after his devastating first-round knockout loss to world super-bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon of Mexico.
“Sinabi ko lang sa mama ko na magpapahinga lang ako sa boxing. Ang pagkakaintindi niya hihinto na ako kaya nu’ng na-interview siya sa TV, nasabi niya na magre-retire na daw ako,” said an amused Bautista.
The Bohol-native planed in yesterday morning from Los Angeles along with fellow boxers AJ Banal, Michael Domingo and one-time world title challenger Z Gorres.
“Bata pa ako at dapat din matuto akong tumanggap ng pagkatalo. Hindi naman lahat ng oras panalo ako,” said Bautista who was welcomed at the airport by parents Alberto and Susan. “Nagulat ako kasi ganu’n pa din ang suporta ng tao sa akin kaya pangako ko, lalaban pa din.”
Except for Bautista, the four who arrived yesterday along with newly crowned world bantamweight king Gerry Pe?alosa won over their Mexican rivals and score a 5-1 tally in the unique six-bout Boxing World Cup tournament staged last weekend at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California.
The 35-year-old Pe?alosa scored the most dramatic win after he knocked out Jhonny Gonzalez in the seventh round with a single left hook to the right side of the body to take the Mexican’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) crown.
Pe?alosa is due to arrive today from Los Angeles along with American trainer Freddie Roach.
Bautista’s benefactor, Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim told BusinessMirror in a separate interview that Bautista may take two to three meaningful fights before aspiring for another shot at the world title.
Bautista’s manager Tony Aldeguer, however, added that it will still all depend on their American partner Golden Boy Promotions insofar as charting the immediate future of the Boholano is concerned.
“If you will ask me I want to promote Bautista’s next fight here in the Philippines to also gauge how his loss affected his popularity,” said Aldeguer.
Bautista now has a record of 23-1, with 17 knockouts.
Batawang title crack
LIGHT-flyweight challenger Bert Batawang was supposed to be the seventh fighter to participate in the World Cup event but his bout against Mexican Gerardo Verde was scrapped because of an eye injury suffered by the Mexican days before the duel.
Devastated at first because of the scrapping of that bout, the 35-year-old Batawang is again pumped-up after learning that his next bout will now be a world title fight.
According to Michael Aldeguer, son of the revered ALA Gym owner, international matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz was able to arrange for Batawang a crack at the International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-flyweight crown versus defending champion Ulises Solis of Mexico.
“Bert is still in Los Angeles to continue his training which will now be for the world title,” said the young Aldeguer.
The 12-round bout will be held on September 16 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
The 25-year-old Solis (25-1, 19 knockouts) is the same Mexican fighter who stopped Filipino challenger Rodel Mayol with a single punch to the jaw in the eighth round on August 4 at the AllState Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.
Although considered old at 35, Batawang is turning out to be a late bloomer as he has scored 12 knockouts in 12 wins in his last 14 fights.
He won the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) Pan-African light-flyweight title November 2004 via a seventh-round stoppage over African Sithembele Kibiti in Cape Town, South Africa.
Batawang, with a record of 50-6 with 34 knockouts, is targeting to join Pe?alosa as the oldest Filipino world champions.
Batawang, apart from trying to become the country’s fourth world champion, hopes to win back the IBF crown once held by a Filipino, Tacy Macalos who reigned from November 1988 to May 1989.
The Philippines is again having another golden era in boxing with three current world champions in Pe?alosa, IBF minimumweight Florante Condes and IBF flyweight Nonito Donaire Jr.
