Mandaue City: Both WBO Asia Pacific bantam king Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and Mexican hitman Gilberto Bolanos yesterday expressed confidence they will come out victorious during a special press conference at the office of Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano.
Bautista and Bolanos tangle in a 10-round bout on Saturday topbilling the “El Gran Combate” card at the Mandaue Cultural and Sports Complex.
“No estoy haciendo ninguna predicci?n, sino que soy listo ir la distancia o golpearlo hacia fuera. Estoy en forma superior,” (I’m not making any prediction, but I’m ready to go the distance or knock him out. I’m in top shape), said Bolanos moments after jetting in from a long trip from Ciudad Obregon in Mexico accompanied by trainer Rogelio Baldomero and Las Vegas’ Michael Koncz.
Also joining yesterday’s presscon was promoter Sammy “Don King” Gello-ani, sportsman Tony Aldeguer, Viva Sports’ Ronnie Nathanielsz, Cheryl Ouano of the Mandaue City Sports Development Commission and Cliff Smart, a fan of Bautista. Aldeguer, who speaks Spanish himself, acted as the gracious translator between the Mexican fighter and the Cebu media.
“I really prepared hard for this fight because I know that Bautista is a very tough boxer just like Manny Pacquiao,” added Bolanos as translated by Aldeguer. The 18-year-old Bautista, for his part, assured fight fans and the legion of Boholanos who will cross the island to watch him fight that he will not disappoint them and will do his best to notch yet another win.
“I will do my best to win this fight for my fans. I am very ready to rumble,” said Bautista in English.
Promoter Gello-ani also informed that the Bautista-Bolanos fight will start at exactly 9PM, although the undercards are set to fire off at 7PM.
Bolano’s trainer, meanwhile, has praised the organizers of this fight, pointing out that they have never been treated this good in all their experience fighting in the US and in Mexico. They said Filipino hospitality is indeed great.
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VIVA HOT BABE, SINGER BAUTISTA TO GRACE Set to provide more fireworks to this already explosive event is the appearance of two members of the Viva Hot Babes-Zara and Myles Hernandez– who will act as roundcard girls for the event and give male fans something to talk about.
Viva contract singing sensation Jennifer Bautista, a niece of Sen. Bong Revilla, will also sing the Philippine national anthem while the organizers have said they have a surprise personality who will sing the Mexican national anthem. Viva Sports will telecast the fight on Sunday at 1PM. Also in the program is a segment called “Pinoy Boxing Legends” where Pancho Villa will be featured, as well as Ceferino Garcia the following Sunday. The card also boasts of the debut fight of the three new members of the ALA Boys-Rey Caitom, AJ Banal, and Rashid Bacus-who will face separate foes. The rest of the card pits world-ranked Bert Batawang against Elmer Muyco; Caesar Amonsot versus Jun Paderna; Robert Allanic against Orlan Enriquez; Japanese Nori Iwatanai versus Cris Alag; and John Carlos against Villy Bullecer.
***** The Fight Club, a boxing fitness gym owned and managed by the ALA Boxing Gym, will be launched at 5PM today with the press and public preview of WBO Asia-Pacific bantam champ Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and Mexican hitman Gilberto Bolanos.
The two fighters, who will tangle in a much-awaited showdown this Saturday at the Mandaue Cultural and Sports Complex, will spar against separate opponents today at the the Banilad Town Center where the Fight Club is located.
Also to be featured is a sparring exhibition of two female trainers of the FIGHT CLUB to demonstrate the fitness and skill acquired through the ALA boxing training program.
Only invited guests however will be allowed within the ringside premises while the fans are also enjoined to witness today’s sparring sessions.
Although it will be blessed and inaugurated today, the Fight Club will officially open on July 1, 2005 and will have for its chief trainers, Edito Villamor and Peter Cuizon, who are both awardees as the country’s best trainers in professional and amateur boxing, respectively. Other members of the training staff are former bemedalled amateur standouts and ex-Philippine champions.
The FIGHT CLUB is purely a boxing fitness gym with a training program similar with those of the amateur and professional boxers but of lesser intensity.
The boxer’s workout is a confidence building and practical method of defending oneself as well as a fun, sure-fire way to get into the best shape of your life.
The fitness movement has in fact become enamored with the boxers’ workout and the advent of women’s boxing over the last decade has broken down the men’s domain of the sports – changing forever its appeal and horizons.
