INTERNATIONAL Boxing Federation (IBF) International featherweight king Rey ?Boom-Boom? Bautista and unbeaten Mexican knockout artist Miguel Angel Mendoza vowed to stand toe-to-toe and knock each other out in the main event of Pinoy Pride 10 this Saturday at the Lapu-Lapu City Hoops Dome.
After Mendoza promised to stop him before the sixth round, the Boholano fighter said, ?Maybe he will eat his words. Maybe he will be the one who won?t reach the sixth.?
Bautista will have his first title defense of the IBF international featherweight crown in the main event of ?Pinoy Pride 10? at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City and Mendoza said it will be a short defense.
?As far as I?m concerned I will not run. I hope Boom-Boom will not run,? said the 27-year-old Mendoza, who has an impressive slate of 17-0-1 with 17 knockouts.
Bautista, 31-2 with 23 knockouts, was pleased to hear that his opponent is willing to stand toe-to-toe with him.
?I like that. I won?t run and I?ll show it to him this Saturday,? he said.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said this fight will serve as a measuring stick for Bautista?s readiness for bigger fights?either a world title clash with IBF featherweight champion Billy Dib or a rematch with his tormentor Daniel Ponce de Leon next year.
IBF?s Ray Wheatley, who is here to supervise the fight, said Bautista has an excellent chance of challenging for the IBF featherweight crown because he is ranked fifth, while the top two spots are vacant. Wheatley said Bautista can fight in an eliminator bout for the mandatory spot then fight for the title next year in a mandatory title bout against Dib.
Meanwhile, two up-and-coming prospects are pitted against each other in the main supporting bout–Genesis Servania (15-0, 5 KOs) and Mexican Marcos Cardenas (19-0-1, 12 KOs)– in a 10-round affair.
The 21-year-old Cardenas said the other day that Servania will serve as a stepping stone for him for bigger opportunities in his young career and that he will use his ring generalship to dictate the fight and knock the 20-year-old Filipino out.
?I believe in my skills. It will be decided inside the ring and I will do everything to win. A knockout will come and I will do everything to knock him out,? said Servania.
Two other exiting bouts are featured in the undercard?Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight titlist Rocky Fuentes (29-6-2, 18 KOs) against former World Boxing Council International Silver flyweight champion Lookdiaw Tor Buamas (22-4, 8 KOs) and RP light welterweight titleholder Romeo Jackosalem (15-4-1, 8 KOs) against Korean light welterweight king Pan Soo Kim (11-2-1, 7 KOs) for the vacant OPBF light welterweight title.
