Boom Boom Gives Up WBO-Asia Pacific Belt, Moves Up in Weight

Young boxing phenom, Rey ‘Boom-Boom’ Bautista moves up in weight as he now fights in the 122 lbs. super bantam division.

“Boom-Boom is still very young and growing. He is more comfortable fighting in the 122-lbs division,” discloses international promoter, Sammy Gello-ani.

With this move, Gello-ani together with the Bautista Team plans to have Rey Bautista vacate his position as the reigning WBO Asia-Pacific Bantamweight Champion.

Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista (R) does the mitts with trainer Edito "ALA" Villamor at Roach's Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles.

Bautista's last fight was a 3rd round knockout win against Nicaraguan Roberto Bonilla at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Now fighting under Oscar dela Hoya-managed Golden Boy Promotions, the Pride of Bohol will fly to the US together with trainer Edito Villamor to prepare for a scheduled fight on September 16, 2006 slated at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Said fight is an undercard for the much-anticipated Barrera- Juarez rematch.

Bautista will be climbing the ring against Moises Gutierrez of Chile. The tough Chilean sports a 15-3 win-loss record with six knockouts. A former Chilean Bantam champion, he had fought and lost against reigning WBA Inter-Continental Super Bantam champion Gabula Vabaza last March 31, 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa for the latter’s title defense.