ALA Gym star Rey ?Boom-Boom? is up for another difficult fight as he faces veteran Mexican fighter Heriberto Ruiz in his upcoming Nov. 22 match in the Hatton-Malignaggi fight card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
ALA Promotions President Michael Aldeguer believes that Bautista will be in for a tough fight in his US comeback fight since being knocked out by Daniel Ponce De Leon in the first round of their World Boxing Organization super bantamweight bout in 2007.
?This is his toughest fight since De Leon. His opponent is a veteran that has fought the best in the division,? Aldeguer told Sun.Star Cebu in an interview yesterday.
Aldeguer also believes that the 22-year-old Boholano must take this fight so he can prove the boxing community that he?s still one of the elite fighters in his weight class. ?This is what Boom-Boom needs right now, to be able to show that he is back,? said Aldeguer.
There were two opponents lined up for Bautista in his Nov 22 bout. One was Ruiz and the other was Gary Stark. ALA Promotions chose Ruiz because Stark hasn?t fought any big names in boxing, while the 31-year-old Ruiz is battle-tested.
?We want to give Boom-Boom a fighter that has fought the best out there and Ruiz has done that,? said Bautista?s handler.
Division?s best
Ruiz boasts a record of 37 wins 7 losses and 2 draws with 23 knockouts in his 13- year career, while Bautista possesses 26 victories and a defeat with 19 knockouts.
Ruiz has fought the best in the division?the likes of former International Boxing Federation flyweight titlist Irene Pacheco, International Boxing Organization featherweight king Cristobal Cruz and has already fought a world title match against Rafael Marquez for the IBF bantamweight title but was knocked out in the third round of their fight in 2004 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas .
Bautista will be leaving for Las Vegas on Oct. 28 with and will be training at Mayweather?s Gym.
