Two World Boxing Organization (WBO) championship bouts in the island province of Bohol in one card.
Fantastic, marvelous and historic. This was the initial reaction of local fight fans after sportsman city Mayor Dan Neri Lim announced yesterday the hosting of reigning WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight titlist Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista’s title defense and the title quest of another Boholano hopeful Caesar Amonsot against the defending champion from Indonesia tentatively set here next month.
In his weekly Mayor’s Report over dyRD, Lim said the forthcoming blockbuster card is a joint undertaking of the provincial government and City Hall, in coordination with Cebu boxing patron Antonio L. Aldeguer, manager of Bautista and Amonsot.
The city government and the provincial government through Gov. Erico B. Aumentado have already agreed to put up P500,000 each as seed money to promote the twin title fight here.
Provincial Sports Commission chair and board member Dionisio Balite has earlier expressed they are willing to shell out P1.5 million just to promote Bautista’s next fight right here in Bohol following a deluge of offers from Manila and Cebu promoters.
The actual date of the once-in-a-life-time boxing card has not been fixed yet, but Mayor Lim pointed out this could be held either on Nov. 12 or 19 due to the proximity of the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) the country is hosting.
Ordinary fight fans also expressed elation upon hearing over the radio that the general admission to the double championship card to be held at the spawling CPG Sports Complex is only pegged at P50.
If the event pushes through, Bohol could be the first to promote two WBO title fights outside Metro Manila and Cebu City.
Bautista’s opponent was not immediately known but top challengers from Australia, South Africa and South Korea are being considered by matchmakers.
Bautista captured the WBO regional belt via a second round TKO win over Thai Saensak Singmanassak on Aug. 17 last year and successfully defended it with a 12-round unanimous decision against Vuyisible Bebe of South Africa early this year, also at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Center.
On the other hand, Bautista’s stablemate at the ALA Boxing Gym – Caesar Amonsot will try to follow the footstep of the former when he challenged Indonesian Victor Mausul for the latter’s WBO Asia Pacific junior fightweight title in the undercard. The bout was originally scheduled last Sept. 29 in Jakarta, Indonesia but promoters had to cancel the fight to give way to the feast of Ramadan.
Mausul has an unblemished record of 9 fights with 8 wins and 1 draw with 4 knockouts while the Tagbilaran City-native Amonsot has a total of 14 fights with 12 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw with 10 KOs.
In an interview with the Chronicle, Aldeguer said he is very thankful to the support showed by Gov. Aumentado and Mayor Lim.
“The province of Bohol and the city of Tagbilaran have been very supportive to Bautista and bringing to Bohol his next fight is for sentimental reasons,” Aldeguer said.
Newly-crowned WBC mini-flyweight champion Brian Viloria, WBC International superfeather king Manny Pacquiao and reigning WBO Asia-Pacific bantam titlist Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista made the Filipinos proud by scoring stunning KO victories over their Latino foes at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California last Sept. 11.
The trio graced the opening of the 2005-2006 PBA season at the Big Dome and later were given a red carpet welcome by President Gloria Macapaga-Arroyo early last week in Malaca?ang after a motorcade.
During an interview with the media that followed, the trio expressed hopes that the President will continue to support not only their own careers but other potential Filipino world beaters as well.
After getting kind words from the President, the Boholano world ring prospect was quoted as saying “Salamat talaga sa suporta ni President Arroyo. Marami pang Pinoy boxers na puede pang magbigay karangalan sa atin, sana tuloy-tuloy na suporta sa amin ng tao at ni Pangulo.”
Bautista added that the opportunity to meet and talk with the President motivated him to exert more effort in preparing himself for bigger fights in the near future.
The 20-year-old Candijay, Bohol-native is in the thick of his preparation for his next title defense before the year ends while Viloria has been set to make the first defense of his title early next year.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, is in the US to be at the ringside today when his younger brother, Bobby, fights Carlos Hernandez in Las Vegas.
He is slated to leave for L.A., California before the year ends to hook up with the Wild Card Gym of noted American trainer Freddie Roach, in preparation for his much-anticipated rematch with tormentor Erick Morales on Jan. 21.
