‘You should have stayed in Mexico’

ALEJANDRO Barrera travelled all the way from Mexico City to avenge his loss to Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista but the Boholano thinks the Mexican should have just stayed at home.

The two will face off again tonight in “Pinoy Pride 3: The Rematch” at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino, with the Mexican looking to avenge his fourth-round loss last year.

“He made a big mistake coming back here in Cebu,” Bautista told Sun.Star Cebu after the weigh-in yesterday at SM City Cebu.

Although Bautista, 29-2 with 22 knockouts, never made a bold prediction of what round he will knock out Barrera, he feels he will win again and will try his best to score a knockout.

“This will be a great fight . I will try my best to win,” he said.

Barrera was even bolder and has predicted a fifth-round knockout.

The two boxers were in tip-top shape and easily made the weight yesterday. Bautista tipped the scales two pounds under the 126-pound limit while Barrera, 21-4 with 14 knockouts, weighed-in at 125 ½.

“Someone will surely go down in this fight. I’m in good condition and he is also well-prepared. This will be a close match,” said Bautista.

Bautista beat Barrera in a controversial fight last year. The fight was stopped by the officials in the fourth round after Bautista suffered a cut on his left eyelid.

In the co-main event, 19-year-old up-and-comer Jason Pagara (24-1, 13 KOs) takes on Indonesian Billy Sumba (18-2-1, 4 KOs).

Former World Boxing Council Silver flyweight champion Edrin Dapudong (20-3, 11 KOs) trades leathers with tough Indonesian Sofyan Effendi (10-10-2, 8 KOs).

Pan Asian Boxing Association bantamweight king Roli Gasca (15-1, 3 KOs) faces fellow Filipino Joash Apericio (7-3, 4 KOs), while comic fighter Jun Intor (15-9-5, 7 KOs) is ready to entertain the fans once again with his ring antics against Albert Villacampa (5-3-1).