WBO ASIA-PACIFIC Super Bantamweight champion Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista still has to shake off the effects of jet lag going into his fifth day in Los Angeles, California, but has hit the ground running.
Even if he has been a bit sluggish and was reported to be having trouble keeping awake, Bautista is wasting no time training for his forthcoming non-title bout with Giovanni Andrade on December 2 in Tampa, Florida.
During Halloween, the Boholano power-puncher, who has unfortunately had two fight postponements since July because of a viral infection and a shoulder injury, was at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach for only his second sparring session.
He did two rounds with Alejandro Perez and three with Mike Franco. The two Mexican fighters are regulars at Wild Card and have sparred with Bautista in the past.
In an e-mail to the Bulletin, ALA stable owner Antonio Aldeguer said there is nothing to worry about as there is more than enough time for Bautista to regain his usual fighting form as soon as he shakes off the jet lag.
Bautista had been in hard training in Cebu weeks before he left for the States. So far, Aldeguer added, the highlight in Bautista’s visits to the American gym was a souvenir photo which Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao readily acceded to when the two boxers met.
ALA chief trainer Edito Villamor, who accompanies and assists in the training of all ALA boxers who train at Wild Card, was effusive in his description of Pacquiao’s condition.
“Si Manny, grabe ang condition, parang walang pagod sa training” (Manny is in top condition, he doesn’t seem to get tired in training),” he said.
Pacquiao is now deep in training for his coming battle with Erik Morales, their third such encounter. Morales won the first in 2005 by decision, while Pacquiao dealt the Mexican his first knock-out loss last January.
