CHICAGO – Echoing the sentiments of an e-mailing reader, I asked here in this column yesterday what happened to Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista, who has been noticeably absent from the boxing limelight where he belongs.
Rey last fought on Dec. 23, 2005, a fistic classic that I had the pleasure to cover on site at the Sycuan Resort and Casino in the outskirts of San Diego, California. In that coming out party, Boom-Boom peeled himself from a vicious second-round knockdown before overpowering a resilient Gererdo Espinoza in eight bloody rounds.
But that was 78 days ago, and time waits for no one, Rey Bautista included.
I know that Rey is only 19 and that he has nothing but daylight in front of him. Still, I am perplexed that such a talent is just lying in waste, suffering from stiffness while the rest of the gold-seekers in the bantamweight division are plodding and punching along.
Rey has often been referred to as an “uncut diamond.” I hope it’s a metaphor, not the truth. Because the way his schedule is going, one fight in every 78 days or so, I’m afraid Boom-Boom will get old before he is polished into a perfect gem.
With world-class skills, power in both hands, the advantage of youth, plus the best trainers in the business, Boom-Boom Bautista should be collecting victims and accolades at this stage of his career. Instead, the pride of Bohol is only gathering rust.
Where on this savage earth is Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista?
The answer to this question was fast and furious, almost like a Bautista left hook. And it came from no less than the man himself – Antonio Lopez Aldeguer.
“Yes, it’s true that Rey ‘Boom-Boom’ Bautista has been out of the limelight since his last fight. The reason for such is that he came home to rest for a few weeks and went back again to Los Angeles to train at the Wild Card Gym under Freddie Roach.
“It will not be long, however, that you will hear a lot of things about Bautista since we are cooking something big for him within the next few weeks. We guarantee you that Rey Bautista will be the next big thing in Philippine boxing soon.”
The sound you just heard was the people of the entire province of Bohol, heaving a giant sigh of relief. While the rest of the Pinoy boxing fans can sleep comfortably at night again.
Thanks for the update, Mr. Aldeguer.
