'BOOM BOOM' IS DE LA HOYA'S PERSONAL CHOICE FOR MAY 5 EVENT
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 27 Feb 2007
The country's new boxing star, ALA Boy Rey 'Boom Boom' Bautista, may yet get the chance to become the chief supporting cast to the huge May 5 showdown between Oscar De la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Golden Boy Promotions vice-president and international matchmaker Eric Gomez, in an interview yesterday, had confirmed Bautista's inclusion in the card, revealing that the young Boholano sensation will be included in the televised cast of the huge pay-per-view attraction, which experts say has a good chance of breaking previous PPV records.
The Cinco De Mayo event, dubbed 'The World Awaits,' is being touted as the biggest event in boxing history, which has already broken all live gate records in Las Vegas, with tickets all sold out in just three hours after being sold to the public.
"Rey 'Boom Boom' Bautista is already assured of a slot on that card, along with Banal," Gomez stated yesterday, referring to the other ALA fighter Alex John 'Bazooka' Banal who is also undefeated.
Yesterday, Gomez finalized the plans via long-distance conversations with Golden Boy president Oscar De la Hoya and CEO Richard Schaefer, whereby it was decided that Bautista will be included in three bouts to be shown worldwide and Banal fights just before the pay-per-view bouts.
"Boom Boom might have the chance to be main supporting to Oscar," informed Bautista's manager Michael Aldeguer in a message yesterday.
Gomez, however, clarified that another Filipino fighter, Jimrex Jaca, may not be included in the card, saying that a bout with Oscar Larios is not possible given that the Mexican is the mandatory challenger to WBC champion In jin Chi.
"Jaca and Larios might get a chance to fight down the road, but not on May 5, probably around later," Gomez clarified.
The GBP executive revealed that it was Jaca who approached him to get a chance at the May 5 card, and his trainer Robert Bubuli was the one who asked for a match with Larios, although he did not commit to their requests.
International matchmaker non-pareil Sampson 'Picasso' Lewkowicz, in an interview with Philboxing.com, also made it clear that since this is Oscar De la Hoya's fight, the golden boy of boxing reserves the right to choose who will fight underneath him, and that Bautista was the first name mentioned by the legendary boxing hero.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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