PINOY PRIDE 6: BAUTISTA VS RUIZ GRUDGE REMATCH
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 08 Apr 2011
Bacolod City ? This is a fight that Filipino boxing aficionados have been waiting for the past two years. Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista wanted this fight. ALA Promotions finally made it a reality and formally announced it in a press conference held Friday afternoon at the Palmas Del Mar Resort Hotel in Bacolod.
It was on November 22, 2008 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas when Bautista faced Heriberto Ruiz of Mexico in an eight round battle in the undercard of Ricky Hatton vs. Paulie Malignaggi. Bautista had already won three straight fights since the devastating knockout loss to Daniel Ponce de Leon. But little did fans know that Bautista was already feeling chronic pain on his left wrist, which was already there during the De Leon bout. Bautista would subsequently be bloodied and lose to Ruiz by unanimous decision.
Bautista has already won four straight fights since undergoing hand surgery. He has replayed the loss over and over in his mind and has come up with a plan to beat Ruiz. Trainer Edmund Villamor also has improvements and modifications in mind with BoomBoom?s fighting style.
?We will be working on his defense and his jab,? Villamor said. ?Ruiz is a warrior and not an easy opponent.?
Bautista also talked about his last fight in Cebu when he stopped Alejandro Barrera with a quick body punch using his reconstructed left hand. ?I mixed my attack, hitting the body, the head and going down again. I will still try to improve, Work on my body punching, my jab.?
Bautista and Ruiz (49W-10L-2D, 28 KO?s) will fight this time for 12 rounds for the IBF international featherweight title. ALA Promotions Pres. Michael Aldeguer announced that Cebu will be hosting the fight.
?The Waterfront Hotel may be too small for a fight of this magnitude,? Aldeguer said, ?We will be exploring other options, bigger venues.?
Bautista, Villamor and Aldeguer were all in agreement that they will not make the injury as an excuse for the loss. This fight billed as ?GRUDGE REMATCH? will be the sixth instalment of the PINOY PRIDE boxing series.
They will focus their attention on Ruiz as of now and revaluate Bautista?s performance for a fight with Ponce de Leon. Since beating Bautista, Ruiz has lost to quality fighters like Steve Molitor and Jackson Asiku. But Ruiz has also knocked out his last two opponents both in the third round.
Aldeguer also thanked the sports media of Cebu and Bacolod for their support in their series of press conferences leading to Saturday?s PINOY PRIDE 5 at the LaSalle Gym. He said that Edrin Dapudong of the Braveheart stable will fight in the undercard of PINOY PRIDE 6.
Bautista also expressed his admiration for Donnie Nietes humility and boxing skills. He has words of advice for the WBO minimumweight champion prior to his bout against Armando Vasquez, ? Don?t let the pressure of fighting before your hometown get to you. Just fight your fight, the way you fought in Mexico.?
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Photos: Rey 'Boom Boom' Bautista, ALA President Michael Aldeguer and Trainer Edmund Villamor during Friday afternoon's press conference at the Palmas del Mar Resort in Bacolod City announcing Pinoy Pride 6 The Grudge Rematch between Rey Bautista and Heriberto Ruiz on June 11, 2011. Photos by Dong Secuya.
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