ALA Stable teenage phenomenon Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista will make his maiden ring appearance in the US mainland in the undercard of the “Double Trouble” boxing show topbilled by Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao and Mexican star Erik Morales on September 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
In what is considered as their tune-up bouts for their hotly-anticipated rematch either in December this year or in January 2006, Pacquiao will take on Mexican Hector Velasquez, while Morales will go up against former Olympian Zahir Raheem.
“It’s definite. Bautista will fight for eight rounds in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Morales double-header on September 10,” revered boxing patron Antonio “Bidoy” L. Aldeguer, Bautista’s manager, divulged to The Freeman yesterday via text message.
Nothing is final yet though with regards to Bautista’s opponent, but Aldeguer disclosed that the reigning WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight champion will probably show his stuff against one-time world challenger Gerardo “Locomotora” Espinoza, who hails from Tijuana, Mexico.
“It’s not yet confirmed. but Bautista will probably fight against Gerardo Espinoza, a Mexican,” added Aldeguer.
Espinoza, who sports a 28-8 win-loss record spiked with 26KOs, once reigned as the WBO North America Boxing Organization super bantamweight champion after he decisioned Omar Adorno on August 10, 2002.
He kept his belt only once as he was dethroned by Jorge Lacierva via eighth round TKO in his second defense in April 2003 in Las Vegas.
The 24-year-old Espinoza failed in his attempt to wrest the regular WBO bantamweight crown after being stopped in the ninth round by fellow countryman Cruz Carbajal in October 2003 at the Mandalay Bay Casino in las Vegas.
Since then, the Tijuana-native fighter suffered a string of losses including against Jose Miguel Aguiniga, Mauricio Martinez and Genaro Garcia.
On the other hand, the dynamite-fisted Bautista, touted as the next big thing in Philippine boxing, is presently undergoing a rigid training regimen under the eagle-eyed American strategist Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California.
Bautista, who is still unbeaten in 16 pro fights that include a dozen victories via stoppage, was initially scheduled to see action on August 19 at the Stockton Ballpark in Stockton, California.
But Aldeguer cancelled it at the last minute to prevent his ward from suffering any injury that could serve as an impediment to the bigger September 10 date they were able to secure for the youthful ring punisher from Candijay, Bohol.
