Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista is aching to bounce back from his humiliating first round knockout loss to WBO superbantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon but it won’t be easy making mincemeat of his next opponent.
ALA stable owner Tony Aldeguer’s chief lieutenant Sammy Gello-ani told The STAR recently Bautista will face WBC Federation of Boxing Commissions of the Mexican Republic (Fecombox) champion Antonio (Barrio) Meza in his comeback fight on Dec. 8 at the Araneta Coliseum and predicted a war that could go either way.
Gello-ani said Aldeguer himself rejected Bautista’s original opponent Jesus (Chito) Rios, another Mexican, because he wanted a real tough test for the Candijay, Bohol, prospect.
Rios was scratched because five years ago, he was knocked out by Esau Gaona who was recently blasted into submission by Aldeguer protégé A. J. Banal in a single round. The blemish was a sore spot in Rios’ otherwise impressive 24-3 record.
“Mr. Aldeguer felt the Filipino public wouldn’t accept Rios as a legitimate opponent for Boom Boom because of that loss to Gaona,†said Gello-ani. “So we looked for somebody else. Meza was suggested by Golden Boy and we think he’ll be more than a match for Boom Boom.â€
Meza, 24, has a 25-2 record, with 23 KOs. His only losses were a second round knockout to Ricardo Castillo in 2005 and a decision to Julio Zarate last year. He has won his last five outings.
Gello-ani said a consortium of businessmen, including Viva president Vic del Rosario, is being organized to bankroll the Big Dome card which will also feature Banal against Mexican Jovanny Soto and Philippine bantamweight titlist Michael Domingo against a still unnamed Mexican opponent.
Gello-ani said superflyweight Z Gorres would’ve been added to the card if only he had no commitment to take on Colombian Jonathan (El Explosivo) Perez in a title eliminator during the WBO convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Oct. 31.
--published by the Bohol StandardLinkback:
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