'Boom Boom' banners Cebu card tonight

MANILA, Philippines - Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista takes on dangerous Alejandro (Zorrita) Barrera of Mexico in a 10-round featherweight bout that’s expected to shake up the Pacific Ballroom of the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City tonight.

Bautista, 24, is on the comeback trail and has scored back-to-back wins by knockout since losing to Heriberto Ruiz on points in Las Vegas two years ago. Now with a clean bill of health after wrist surgery, Bautista is looking forward to battling Dominican Republic veteran Hector Julio Avila for the vacant IBF Intercontinental 126-pound title in Dubai on Oct. 29 but he’s got to take care of Barrera to seal the appointment.

Barrera, 30, is no patsy and carries the proud surname of legendary cousin Marco Antonio. It’s his first fight in Asia and he comes with a warrior’s mentality. Barrera couldn’t care less where he tangles with Bautista. He won his first 18 fights as a pro but has lost three of his last five. Barrera is determined to bring down the Filipino.

“I will win for sure,” said Barrera in an interview by ALA Boxing’s Chad Canares. “If I can knock him out, I will. But I am prepared to fight him to the limit if it goes the distance. Filipino fighters are good but Mexican fighters are better. I will demonstrate the toughness and courage of Mexican fighters in the ring.”

Bautista earned his nickname for his relentlessness much like former world lightweight champion Ray (Boom Boom) Mancini. That devil-may-care attacking style proved to be his undoing when he was knocked out by Mexico’s Daniel Ponce de Leon in one round in a WBO superbantamweight title bout in 2007. But Bautista has matured considerably since the setback even as he remains as ferocious as ever. Whenever he faces a Mexican, Bautista remembers his defeats to Ponce de Leon and Ruiz bitterly – causing his blood to boil. That’s fair warning to Barrera.

Three other Filipinos stake on foreign opponents in the blockbuster ALA card dubbed “Philippines vs the World.”

Unbeaten Milan Melindo faces Korean flyweight titlist Jin Man Keon, former OPBF superbantamweight king Jimrex Jaca meets Mexico’s Pipino Cuevas Jr. and ex-IBF minimumweight ruler Florante Condes tests the mettle of Indonesia’s Sofyan Effendi.

Melindo, 22, has a lot at stake in squaring off with Jin who has beaten Filipinos Nelson Llanos, Boogie Delada and Isidro Lorona. He’s now ranked No. 5 minimumweight by the WBO and as a flyweight, No. 7 by the IBF, No. 11 by the WBC and No. 12 by the WBA. Melindo has an unbeaten record of 21-0-1, with six KOs, compared to Jin’s 13-3-1, with three KOs.

Jaca, 27, once fought Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez and retired in 2008 before staging a comeback this year. He’s coming off sensational knockout wins over Indonesia’s Ramadhan Werlu and Kenya’s James Kimori. Cuevas, however, has pedigree and will be tough to beat. His father Pipino Sr. reigned as WBA welterweight champion from 1976 to 1980, losing the title on his 12th defense to Tommy Hearns.

Cuevas, 30, started his career on a torrid note, racking up 11 straight wins, but has since lost five of his last eight to bring his record to 14-5, with 12 KOs, compared to Jaca’s 30-6-3, with 15 KOs. Cuevas and Barrera are stablemates.

Condes, 30, hasn’t fought since losing to now IBF 105-pound titlist Nkosinathi Joyi in South Africa last year and like Jaca, approached Tony Aldeguer for a chance to fight in an ALA promotion. The newly married Condes, once referred to as “Little Pacquiao,” is out for redemption after a forgettable reign on the IBF throne in 2007-08. Effendi, 22, is the PABA interim minimumweight champion and can’t be considered a tomato can despite a lowly 10-8-2 record. Effendi gave a good account of himself in losing to Melindo and another Filipino Bert Batawang and holds a knockout win over former IBF champion Nico Thomas.

“This is a make-or-break fight for Jaca,” said Aldeguer’s son Michael, ALA Boxing president. “If he wins impressively, we might bring him to the US to fight world-rated contenders. As for Condes, we wanted to give him a break. Jaca and Condes are not managed by ALA Boxing but we are giving them the opportunity to fight in our shows. It is now our objective to open the door to other fighters with world-class potentials. ALA Boxing will no longer limit promotions to ALA fighters only.”

Aldeguer said former WBC minimumweight champion Katsunari Takayama of Japan is an example of a fighter now promoted by ALA Boxing. Takayama was signed up by ALA to fight Tshepo Lefele in South Africa in an IBF title eliminator on Sept. 1.

“It was in the same direction that we signed up Jaca and Condes to fight under our promotional banner,” said Aldeguer. “Since we launched our open-door policy, several fighters have sent feelers, asking about our promotions, and they include foreign contenders. We’re moving forward in our plans to go global. We will do another show with KO Promotions in Dubai on Oct. 29.”