?Boom Boom? Bautista's age was not the culprit
By Alex P. Vidal
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 14 Aug 2007
The first round knockout defeat suffered by WBO Asia-Pacific champion Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista in the hands of stone-fisted World Boxing Organization (WBO) superbantamweight (122 lbs) boss Daniel Ponce De Leon last August 12 in Sacramento, California, did not mean that Bautista was not yet ready to shoot for a world boxing crown.
Bautista, whether he is 18 or 40 years old, had to honor an obligation to fight Ponce De Leon because he was the mandatory challenger in the division whoever is champion.
His being 21 years old is not the issue when he went up the ring against the more experienced and vastly superior 27-year old De Leon. It wasn?t Bautista?s fault if he was able to roll past five Latino hombres ? Gerardo Espinoza (Unanimous Decision 8), Roberto Bonilla (KO3), Giovani Andrade (TKO4), Marino Montiel (KO3), Sergio Medina (UD 12) en route to catapulting into No. 1 spot to become a mandatory challenger.
The force of De Leon?s left straight that sealed the coffin for Bautista?s title ambition weighed like a tone of bricks because it landed smack on his unguarded face. It was difficult to parry or dodge De Leon?s deadly left because Bautista is an orthodox fighter and his right fist shielded only half of his face in the right side when the howitzer-like bomb landed without any obstacle.
At 21, Bautista can still rev up for more megabuck fights and he can still win a world crown as long as he has a positive attitude and will to get back in the victory column.
Luisito Espinosa badly lost to Dadoy Andujar before he became WBA bantamweight champion; Manny Pacquiao was demolished by Rustico Torrecampo in three rounds before he pocketed the WBC flyweight diadem and was obliterated by Medgoen 3-K Battery before he tortured Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales; Rolando Navarette was eaten alive by Alexis Arguello before he snatched the WBC superfeatherweight title with a fifth round disposal of Cornelius Boza-Edwards; Gerry Pe?alosa was mocked by In-Jo Choo twice in as many encounters before he wrecked WBO bantamweight king Jhonny Gonzalez last August 12.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Alex P. Vidal.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Filipinos De Barbo, Ognayon, Cha and Torres in Action in Brico Santig’s Show in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Sat, 21 Jun 2025‘LA FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS 2’: DAVID STEVENS DEFEATS PETR KHAMUKOV BY 10-ROUND UNANIMOUS DECISION
Sat, 21 Jun 2025Era and Nantapech Ready to Clash for WBF Asia in Thailand; Filipinos in the Undercard
By Carlos Costa, Sat, 21 Jun 2025Team USA Youth High Performance Steamrolls into Junior Olympics and Summer Festival Semis
Sat, 21 Jun 2025Weigh-In Results: Vito Mielnicki Jr. vs. Kamil Gardzielik
Sat, 21 Jun 2025‘LA FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS 2’ 6 P.M PST/9 P.M. EST TONIGHT, LIVE ON DAZN, FEATURING STEVENS VS. KHAMUKOV
Sat, 21 Jun 2025YAFAI VS. RODRIGUEZ WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER
Fri, 20 Jun 2025Thursday’s Action Featured Stellar Showings at the 2025 USA Boxing Junior Olympics and Summer Festival
Fri, 20 Jun 2025Finals Go All the Way to Game 7 as Indiana Bludgeons Oklahoma in Game 6, 108-91
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 20 Jun 2025Araneta Loses on Points in Odd Judging Setup; Still no Japanese World Welterweight Champion
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 20 Jun 2025Espinas, Cao Make Weight, Ready for WBC Asia Battle Saturday in China
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 20 Jun 2025ASAPHIL Taps World-Class Coach to Lead RP Blu Girls to Greater Heights
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 20 Jun 2025YAFAI VS. RODRIGUEZ + UNDERCARD FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 20 Jun 2025Press Conference Notes: Vito Mielnicki Jr. Set for Homecoming Versus Kamil Gardzielik
Fri, 20 Jun 2025DUARTE VS. SIMS JR. TICKETS GO ON SALE TOMORROW, FRIDAY, JUNE 20TH
Fri, 20 Jun 2025