Bautista beats Ruiz in bloody bout

CEBU, Philippines - It was a result that everybody least expected as ALA Boxing Gym mainstay Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista scored a controversial technical decision victory against Mexican Heriberto “Cuate” Ruiz in the main event of “Pinoy Pride 6: Grudge Rematch” the other night at the jampacked Waterfront-Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

The two protagonists engaged in a bloody brawl and went toe-to-toe against each other in their second meeting on top of the ring.

Ruiz proved he is indeed ready for war coming to his enemy’s territory as he was the aggressor in the first three rounds, but Bautista came to life in the fifth round landing some solid body punches that slowed down the 33-year-old Ruiz.

But the excitement of the crowd was spoiled at the last 56 seconds in the seventh round as the fight was stopped by ring physician Jose Unabia as blood continued to flow from Bautista’s cut in the upper left side of the head.

Referee Danrex Tapdasan ruled that it came from a head butt from Ruiz, handing the fight to the scorecards where three judges scored 69-65, 68-65, and 68-65 all in favor for the Boholano boxer who captured the vacant IBF International featherweight title.

Expressing their discontentment of the result, a minor section of the crowd booed after the bout to voice their displeasure.

“We understand it. It was a bit disappointing, we didn’t expect that this will be the result of the fight we plan for many years,” said ALA president Michael Aldeguer. “But I think the result was right. Bautista showed he’s ready and he stepped up against Ruiz in the later rounds. He was winning.”

Aldeguer added that they will review the tape and when the dust settles, they will look into a possibility of a third match.

For his part, Bautista admitted that he is not happy even if the emerged victorious as it resulted again in another controversial ending.

“Para nako wala pa ko kabawos, mo-away pa man ko, pero unsaon taman nga gihunong naman ang away,” said Bautista. “Di ko kontento, andam ko labanan ulit nako siya.”

Ruiz’s manager Fernando Dominguez insisted that they got robbed and called the judges blind for giving the fight to Bautista.

“We got robbed big time, I don’t know how the judges looked the fight but it’s clear we won,” said Dominguez. “We are close to knocking Boom Boom out if the fight wasn’t stopped.”

Dominguez said they are anytime open for a rematch anywhere and they believe that it will be the same result as Ruiz’s will defeat the Pinoy fighter again.

In the supporting main event, Juan Carlos Gallegos of Mexico gave Jason Pagara a hard fight, but even with a swollen left eye, the 19-year-old Pinoy light welterweight prospect to managed to land a crushing left hook followed by a left straight to knock down the tough Mexican at the 2:59 mark of the fourth round.

Also scoring another knockout win was Edrin 'The Sting' Dapudong against the previously undefeated Indonesian Benja “Rhinoceros” Loemoli in the last 20 seconds of the fourth round. – THE FREEMAN