Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista is scheduled to arrive on Jan. 2 following his successful stint at the Sycuan Resort and Casino in California.
However, it will only be a short visit for Bautista to alleviate his homesickness, as he has to go back and train in the US for his next fight.
Bautista’s come-from-behind unanimous decision win over Mexican Gerardo Espinoza raised his stakes as the next Filipino boxing superstar.
The Candijay-Bohol native is scheduled to arrive at the Ninoy Aquino Airport at 5:30 a.m. on a Los Angeles via Honolulu Philippine Airlines flight.
ALA Boys promoter
Expected to meet him at the airport will be ALA Boys promoter Sammy Gello-ani together with Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim.
Bautista will pay a courtesy visit on Manila Mayor Lito Atienza in the morning before giving interviews to the media.
From Manila, the youthful Boholano phenomenon will fly to Tagbilaran on Jan. 3 to visit his family in Candijay.
He is expected to be in Cebu on Jan. 9.
He and Gello-ani will fly to the US the day after the 2006 Sinulog Grand Mardi Gras to continue his training as well as to catch the Manny Pacquiao-Erik Morales rematch on Jan. 21 at the Thomas and Mack Arena in Las Vegas.
Bautista is committed for two fights with Top Rank Promotions and his second is expected in February.
Committed
“We have committed Bautista to fight with Top Rank for two fights. So right now we are negotiating if he can fight in the undercard of Brian Viloria’s title defense on Feb. 18,” said Gello-ani.
The fight will be held at the Aladdin Casino in Las Vegas where Viloria is also fight in a triple world championship promotion of Top rank that will also pit Antonio Margarito defending his WBO welterweight title against Manuel Gomez and Ivan Calderon fighting for his WBO strawweight title.
