Ray “Boom Boom” Bautista tries to pick up the pieces as he takes on Antonio Meza of Mexico when he returns to the ring in the main bout of a big boxing card slated at the Araneta Coliseum this December.
Billed as “Payback”, the Dec. 2 event will have the 21-year-old Bautista staking his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental super-bantamweight title in his first ring appearance since a disappointing first round technical knockout loss to WBO king Daniel Ponce de Leon in Sacramento, California last August.
The loss was the first in Bautista’s 23 fights (23-1, 17 KOs) as a professional.
Now on the comeback trail, the native of Candijay, Bohol is aware he’s facing another tough test of his young boxing career.
“”I’ve learned a lot from the Ponce de Leon fight and I really look forward to this bout,” said Bautista during the PSA Forum.
Michael Aldeguer, president of ALA stable where Bautista and AJ “Bazooka” Banal belong, admitted the fight against Meza, 24, (23-2, 16 KOs) is going to say a lot on what the future holds for “Boom Boom.’’
“It’s a very crucial fight for him especially coming off a loss against Ponce de Leon in his last outing,” said Aldeguer who also appeared in the program sponsored by Shakey’s and Pagcor, along with Banal and former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Noli Eala.
Banal will see action in the featured supporting bout as he faces Mexican super-flyweight champion Jovanny Sotto for the local boy’s WBO Youth super-flyweight title.
Eala is leading a group of prominent Manila businessmen staging the boxing event in cooperation with the ALA boxing gym and television network ABC-5 under Tony Boy Cojuangco, who was also present during the session.