By Edri K. Aznar, Sun Star
IN Rey “Boom-Boom†Bautista and Mexican Alejandro Barrera's first encounter, the fight didn't go the distance and ended in controversial fashion in favor of the Filipino fighter.
Although Bautista believes he won the first fight, he wants to prove that he is the better boxer as he plans to beat Barrera again in their rematch on Jan. 29 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in “Pinoy Pride 3—The Rematchâ€.
“I believe I won the first fight. If he didn't spit the mouthpiece, he was going to be knocked out,†said the 24-year-old Boholano pug. “I believe that I can beat him (again).â€
Bautista beat Barrera, who is the cousin of Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera, by a fourth round technical knockout after the Mexican suffered a huge cut on his left eyelid last Aug. 28.
Bautista is serious about beating Barrera and won't be taking a break for the holidays.
“In the first fight, we didn't see any clips of him but now we have an idea of how he fights and our mistakes,†said Bautista's trainer Edmund Villamor.
Villamor said Bautista was tagged with Barrera's counter-punches because his ward fails to cover up after a strong jab. But Villamor said they have worked on that mistake.
ALA promotions president Michael Aldeguer feels Bautista isn't ready for a world title fight just yet.
“That's far-fetched yet. He's still a work in progress. Let's see how it goes. This will be a crucial fight for Boom-Boom. We will focus on this and see what level he is right now,†said Aldeguer.
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