IT'S CONFIRMED: BOOM BOOM? ON PACQUIAO-DE LA HOYA UNDERCARD
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 10 Sep 2008
WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight champion Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista will see action on the undercard of Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao?s battle with ?The Golden Boy? Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on December 6.
In an overseas telephone conversation Tuesday (Manila Time) Golden Boy Promotions vice president and international matchmaker Eric Gomez confirmed the fight will take place and that he had already spoken to Michael Aldeguer of the famed ALA Gym.
Gomez had told www.insidesports.ph, Manila Standard and Viva Sports last Wednesday that Golden Boy Promotions was going to put Bautista on the show and they were ?trying to get him a good fight against someone in the rankings, someone who could give him a good fight.?
Gomez said this would be the first time a Filipino will fight on a De La Hoya undercard promoted by Golden Boy.
In fact we reminded Gomez that Pacquiao himself won the IBF super bantamweight title in a spectacular sixth round stoppage of Lelhonolo Ledwaba on the undercard of the De La Hoya ? Javier Castillejo light middleweight title fight at the MGM Grand on June 23, 2001 on a Top Rank promotion telecast by Viva Vintage Sports in the Philippines.
Gomez said Golden Boy Promotions had confidence in Bautista but they were ?not going after a world champion for his next fight but want to do a fight that is important to set him up for his next couple of fights before fighting for the title.?
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum earlier told www.insidesports.ph he had no objections at all to Bautista fighting on the undercard and said if they were interested he could always fight WBO champion Juan Manuel Lopez. But we ourselves told Arum, Bautista was not yet ready to battle a fighter of the caliber of Lopez.
Lopez won the WBO 122 pound title with a stunning first round knockout of the menacing Daniel Ponce De Leon who had himself stopped Bautista in the first round in the Philippines-Mexico World Cup on August 11, 2007 in Sacramento.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Sumalinog Brothers Score Wins in Bohol; Sign with Monty Flores (PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 05 Feb 2026MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH TEAM BOXING LEAGUE
Thu, 05 Feb 2026Trifon Petrov unveils the signing of another USA Team member in Ariana Carrasco
Thu, 05 Feb 2026Jerome Gonzales off to a marvelous start in J&P 10 Ball Cup at Pacman's Cue Club
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 05 Feb 2026DCL amateur MMA on Feb. 21 at Sta. Lucia Mall
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 05 Feb 2026THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 3 FEBRUARY 2026: Shakur Schools Teofimo to Become 4-Division Champ; Zayas Unifies WBA/WBO Superwelter; Kelly Beats Murtazaliev
By Eric Armit, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: A Grand Week for Boxing in NY
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Boxlab Promotions Euri Cedeno and Carlos De Leon Castro Shine in San Juan Victories
Wed, 04 Feb 2026National Boxing Hall of Fame 2026 is set to April 26 in Montebello, California
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Vito Mielnicki Jr. Returns Home to Defend WBC USA, IBF USBA and WBO Global Middleweight Championships Against Omar Ulises Huerta
Wed, 04 Feb 2026Noah Lucas Palcis sees action in Bangkok chess meet
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Reymond Yanong Edges Out Hayato Ono for Split Decision Win in Japan
By Carlos Costa, Tue, 03 Feb 2026“I’m gonna smoke whoever is in front of me, Anthony Wright- Hearn makes his pro debut March 13 at Thunderdome 53
Tue, 03 Feb 2026Pacman's Cue Club Hosts J&P 10 Ball Cup from Feb. 4 to 7
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 03 Feb 2026Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge is back
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 03 Feb 2026