CEBU, Philippines ? The main contenders of the hotly-anticipated “Philippines vs. The World” fight card led by ALA Boxing Gym standouts Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and Milan Melindo will meet face to face for the first time in a press conference scheduled at 11am today at the Coral Room of Waterfront-Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Bautista, who once reigned as the WBO Inter-Continental super bantamweight and WBC International featherweight champion, will slug it out with Mexico’s Alejandro “Zorrito” Barrera, formerly the NABA super bantamweight and WBC Continental Americas featherweight titlist, in the main event of the slambang extravaganza presented by ALA Promotions in partnership with ABS-CBN Sports.
The 24-year-old Bautista suffers only two defeats in 30 matches packed with 21 wins by knockout, but the resurgent prizefighter from Candijay, Bohol couldn’t underestimate Barrera, the cousin of the legendary Mexican warrior Marco Antonio Barrera who also parade a menacing 20-3 win-loss records dotted with 13KOs.
On the other hand, Melindo, the reigning WBC Youth Intercontinental flyweight crown-holder, will put his unbeaten record on the line against Korean champion and OPBF ranked No.4 flyweight Jin-Man Jeon. The pride of Cagayan de Oro City is unscathed in 21 ring battles, while the Korean visitor sports a decent 13-3-1 slated spiked with 3KOs.
The explosive show also features the return of ex-OPBF super bantamweight and WBO AsPac super featherweight champion Jimrex Jaca (30-6-3, 15KOs), who will take on ex-WBC Latino super featherweight titleholder Pepito Cuevas, Jr. (14-5, 12KOs) of Mexico.
Also set to watch out for is former IBF minimumweight champion Florante “Little Pacquiao” Condes (23-5-1, 20KOs), who will go up against PABA Interim minimum-weight champion Sofyan Effendi (10-8-2, 8KOs) of Jakarta, Indonesia.
This will be Condes’ comeback fight since he lost his IBF belt to African Nkosinathi Joyi by 12-round unanimous decision 14 months ago at the Orient Theatre in East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
The rest of the four-nation ring showdown pits Marlon Alta of General Santos vs. Naozumi Tsuchiyama of Tokyo, Japan;Jen Entor of Mabinay, Negros Oriental vs. Jaime Alin, Jr. of Valencia, Bukidnon;Wilbeth Loberanis of Mandaue City vs. Romulo Ramayan of Valencia, Bukidnon; and Pedro Balaba of Tagbilaran City vs. Kotsky Ebalang of Cagayan de Oro City.
For ticket reservations, one may call ALA Promotions headquarters at 236-4611, ALA Gym-Banilad Town Centre at 416-2011, Bisaya Ispisyal-Ayala at 231-2676, USA Sports-Ayala at 412-1069 or at Waterfront-Lahug at 230-6888. (FREEMAN)
