Despite Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista’s spectacular third round stoppage of Nicaraguan Roberto Bonilla last week that earned him raves and comparisons with Manny Pacquiao, the Boholano fighter is not yet ripe for a world title crack, says his manager Tony Aldeguer.
Aldeguer told mediamen at the SCOOP sa Kamayan yesterday that his ward may need to fight two or three more times before he will be ready for the big stage.
“Boom Boom is a good fighter, no doubt about it, but let’s not be carried away with his recent victories in the United States, ” said Aldeguer.
“Despite his recent successes, we all know, including Freddie (Roach who also trained Manny Pacquiao), that he has yet to learn a lot.”
Bautista, the World Boxing Organization No. 1 challenger and World Boxing Council No. 7 who has ran his record to 25-0, 15 by knockouts, will be facing next Alejandro Montiel in one of the under cards of the Manny Pacquiao-Oscar Larios headliner on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.
“If he hurdles Montiel I want him to fight one more time then maybe I will consider him challenging Daniel Ponce de Leon for the WBO super-bantamweight crown,” Aldeguer who struck a deal with the Golden Boy promotion of Oscar De La Hoya to handle his boy’s fight in the US, pointed out.
Bautista agrees with the assessment, saying that while he has learned a lot in his two previous fights in the US, first against Felix Flores, also by a third round stoppage, he has yet to sharpen himself up more before involving a world championship fight.
“Marami akong natutuhan sa laban ko kay Bonilla. Una, natutuhan ko mag-size up ng kalaban. Napag-aralan ko rin kay coach Freddie na huwag manggigil at bukod sa sumuntok, matutuo akong dumepensa,” Bautista said.
“Mas marami pa akong matutuhan, kaya tama si manager, hindi dapat magmadali.”
