In a brilliant performance that will surely be engraved in the hearts of the Boholanos, Bohol’s prized boxer Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista knocked out Tanzanian challenger Obote “The Thunder” Ameme in the second round to retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia-Pacific bantamweight title in last night’s main event of the historic “Binakbakay sa Tagbilaran” card witnessed by a screaming fans of 25,000 at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex.
It was truly a memorable night for the Boholanos as in the co-feature of the dual WBO AsPac champinship, Tagbilaran’s pride Czar Amonsot dethroned Indonesian Victor Mausol via knockout at 1:17 of the eighth round to emerge as the new WBO AsPac super featherweight champion.
“Wala ko magdahum nga ingon ato kasayo mahuman ang away kay eksperyensiyado gud siya (Ameme). Pero ako nakita nga nasakitan siya sa akong body punch mao to nga sige nako suntok niya sa tiyan,” said Bautista, who stretched his unbeaten record to 18-0 now packed with 14 knockouts.
With a minute gone by in the second round, the ALA ring prodigy from Candijay, Bohol pummeled Ameme with a fusillade of powerful body shots that sent the hapless Tanzanian boxer down on both knees.
A visibly wobbly Ameme struggled to get up, but Bautista did not waste event just a second in going for the kill by unleashing a wicked left uppercut to the stomach that flattened the East African visitor for the second time.
Seeing Ameme in danger, referee Bruce MacTavish of New Zealand did not bother to continue applying the mandatory 10-count and quickly waved off the bout at 1:57 of the second round.
“Nagpasalamat ko og dako sa mga Boholanos, ilabi nilang Governor Erico Aumentado ug Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim sa ilang pagtabang nako. Nakuratan gyud ko nga grabi kaayo ang ilang pagsuporta nako,” said an ecstatic Bautista, who is ranked No.2 by the WBO and No.10 by the World Boxing Council.
Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim is doubly happy for Bautista’s resounding triumph and for Tagbilaran’s successful staging of the P3.5 million event that will surely go down in history as the biggest and grandest ever boxing show in the history of Bohol.
“What is important is that we have shown to our people the best entertainment at the expense of our economic setback,” said Mayor Lim, who is putting up the blockbuster slugfest in partnership with the provincial government of Bohol and the Sandugo Foundation.
“This promotion is not all about the fight. What is significant here is that we have shown to the world that that people of Bohol are very competitive in holding an event of such magnitude,” added Lim.
Bautista said he is ready for a world chamionship bout, but humbly admitted he still needs a couple of fights against top caliber opponents before going for the bigtime.
“Sa akong paminaw andam na ko nga mo-away alang sa world title, pero di pa seguro karon kay kinahanglan pa gyud ko nga magpraktis og maayo,” said Bautista.
American Michael Koncz, Bautista’s US agent, said the Boholano boxer will fight next Mexican Gerardo Espinoza on December 23 in Loughlin, Nevada.
Aside from Mayor Lim, a host of dignitaries came to witness the star-studded affair led by Bohol Governor Eric Aumentado, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, Zamboanga del Norte Governor Rolando Yebes, and Congressmen Bobby Cajes, Eladio “Boy” Jala, Edgar Chatto, and Miles Roces of Manila.
The multi-awarded Loboc Children’s Choir, 2005 Star in a Million grand champion Jerome Sala, and former Platter Bobby Soul were on hand to entertain the spectators.
