Realizing he’s in a do-or-die situation, Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista will fight for survival in the merciless world of professional boxing when he takes on dangerous Mexican Antonio (Barrio) Meza in the 12-round main event of a blockbuster card billed “Payback” at the Araneta Coliseum this morning.
Bautista, 21, is coming off a shocking first round knockout loss to WBO superbantamweight titlist Daniel Ponce de Leon last August and knows a defeat to Meza could mean the end of his ring career.
“I’ll go in against Meza like this is my last fight,” said Bautista. “I want to prove myself all over again. I know I can be a world champion someday. Meza trained long and hard for me. But I’ll show him that I’m back.”
In yesterday’s weigh-in at the Gateway Mall, both Bautista and Meza tipped the scales at 121 pounds, one below the superbantamweight limit. On the line is Bautista’s WBO Intercontinental title.
Meza, 25, brushed aside Bautista’s threat. “I came here to win,” said the rugged southpaw who has won his last five outings in compiling a 23-3 record, with 16 KOs. “I trained in the Otomi mountains of Mexico with Luis Maldonado. I’m not scared of Bautista. Right now, the best Mexican fighter is Juan Manuel Marquez and I want to follow in his footsteps.”
Former IBF minimumweight champion Edgar Cardenas trained Meza and will be in his corner at the Big Dome.
It will be Bautista’s debut in Manila and his manager Michael Aldeguer promised a slam-bang performance to cap the extravaganza organized by Third Force Promotions.
In other bouts, WBO youth superflyweight champion A. J. Banal stakes his crown against Mexico’s Jovanny (Bambino) Soto, Philippine bantamweight titleholder Michael Domingo faces Tanzania’s Anthony Mathias and WBO Asia-Pacific minimumweight king Milan Melindo battles Indonesia’s Jack Amisa.
To spice up the event, blond bombshell Amy Hayes was brought in from Kentucky to be the ring announcer. She has worked over 50 fights and appeared in several TV shows, including “Baywatch” “Arrest and Trial” and “Destination Stardom.”
“Boxing is traditionally a boys club so it’s an honor for me to be recognized as the world’s most glamorous ring announcer,” said Hayes who once posed in a celebrity pictorial for Playboy Magazine. “I’m wearing something sparkingly sexy for the show.”