Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista’s will leave for the US tomorrow for an Aug. 19 fight in Stockton, California.
The WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight champion will not fight in a casino, though, but in a baseball stadium – the new Stockton Ballpark – against a yet to be named opponent.
A report from recordnet.com said James Grunsky Promotions and the Stockton Ports are promoting the card.
“Grunsky and Ports vice president John Katz envision the boxing ring sitting atop the mound and a large crowd coming to see the first non-baseball event at the new ballpark,” the article said.
Bautista’s business manager Michael Koncz told Cebu reporters that everything has been finalized except for the opponent of the ALA Boy member.
Mexican opponent
Grunsky wanted David Martinez (13-1-1, 3KOs) to fight Bautista, but the former begged off from fighting in Stockton.
A prospective opponent, as reported by recordnet.com, is Mexican Samuel Lopez, who holds an impressive record of 16-3 with six KOs.
Lopez is coming off an 11th-round technical knockout win over Leopoldo Gonzales last May 13 in Las Vegas for the vacant WBA Fedelatin title.
“In the coming days we will know Bautista’s opponent. For sure he will be a Mexican, but we are not pitting him against a tough opponent. The Aug. 19 fight is just a tune-up for Boom-Boom because we are preparing him for a bigger fight in September,” said Koncz.
A native of Candijay, Bohol, Bautista, 16-0 with 12 KOs, will be accompanied by trainer Edito Villamor and will stay with Koncz while training at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card gym in Santa Monica, California. Aldeguer said Roach will be Bautista’s cornerman in the fight.
