Monday, December 04, 2006 Sayson: Barely legal, yet very lethal By Homer Sayson Second overtime
TAMPA, Florida — Under US laws, 20-year-old Rey “Boomboom” Baustista is barely legal. He is allowed to keep a driver’s license and operate a vehicle, but he can’t drink alcoholic beverages yet and nor can he buy a pack of cigarettes.
As a pro boxer, though, Boomboom is dangerously legal. He is a mature adult, licensed to hit and brawl. If necessary, he also has a permit to maim. Which is exactly what he did against a crafty veteran last night at the St. Pete Times Forum in this sleepy city by the bay.
Fighting for the first time since May 20, a gap caused by a pair of injuries that have since healed completely, Bautista scored an impressive 4th round TKO over Giovanni Andrade in the undercard of the Winky Wright-Ike Quartey middleweight title bout.
Although he had repeatedly expressed his eagerness to jump back into the fray, Boomboom showed remarkable restraint against Andrade. With controlled aggression, he patiently and methodically chased his prey, using a stream of steady jabs behind powerful straights and hooks. Andrade is a 36-year-old sage with a ring record of 43 KOs in 52 wins. He had seen action in five world title fights, and he dad been to war with legends like Johnny Tapia. Banking on a deep reservoir of experience, Andrade showboated incessantly, an obvious ploy to tease and annoy Bautista and throw the Boholano out of his tight focus. The Andrade strategy, however, didn’t work.
Boomboom ignored all the mocking histrionics. He just kept on moving forward, darting blows from all angles while Andrade ran and ran like a hunted fugitive. In the end, Bautista’s body blows, which landed early and often, took it’s violent toll.
Sitting on his tool after the third round, the wiry Andrade had extreme difficulty catching his breath. Seeing the distress, the Brazilian’s cornermen advised referee Jorge Alonso that their fighter was done for the night. When BoomBoom got word of his foe’s inability to continue, his face lit like a giant Christmas tree. As he raised his gloved arms in triumph, Bautista’s eyes blinked incessantly, bravely holding back tears of joy.
Draped in a Philippine flag, BoomBoom raced to the ring’s four corners as an approving public kept cheering on. Oscar dela Hoya, who declared Boomboom as the next Manny Pacquiao, gave Bautista an ecstatic hug atop the ring. Later, Oscar also handed Boomboom a fat bonus.I did a blow-by-blow account of the fight live on dyAB yesterday with Bob Malazarte. And though he still had his gloves on, Boomboom was gracious enough to grant an interview. He thanked his fans for their prayers and support and he looks forward to bigger things ahead.
“Naglisod ko niya sir” (I had a hard time dealing with him), he told me. Bautista explained that Andrade used all the tricks in the trade to befuddle him. The Brazilian punched low at times, clung too often, and used elbows during some of their close encounters. But Boomboom wouldn’t be denied.
“Ako siyang nai-go ug toda sa dihang hapit na matapos ang third round,” (I hit him really hard near the end of the third round). And that, he thought, helped incapacitate Andrade. The win polished Bautista’s record to 21 wins with 16 KOs. Beyond the stats, it opened bigger doors for his rising career.
“He is ready for a title fight, I think. We’ll have a meeting with Mr. Tony Aldeguer when we get back to Cebu and we will find out whether Boomboom’s immediate future includes a championship showdown with WBO super bantamweight king Daniel Ponce De Leon,” said international promoter Sammy Gello-ani.
But like heaven, that title fight can wait. For now, Boomboom is just happy to be in cloud nine. Untouched. Untarnished. Undefeated.
Yes, Rey is only 20. Barely legal, but oh so lethal.
PS... Due to some inadvertent mistake, my column and Tampa Diary were not carried in the Sun.Star Cebu issue yesterday. But the articles were loaded in the Sun.Star Cebu website, which you can access by logging in at sunstar.com.ph. Click on Cebu and click past issues. Go read it. I think you’ll enjoy it. While watching the main event ringside with Boom Bautista last night, my cellphone rang. It was Tagbilaran City mayor Dan Lim on the line. He said he is a big fan of my column. “Bisan na ka sa Chicago, sige ko ug basa sa imong columns,” he said. I am flattered. Thanks, Mayor Lim. Boomboom and Team Bautista left for LA on the way to the Philippines at 7:30 a.m. yesterday, Florida time. They’ll be in Cebu by Wednesday.
I’d like to thank Dong Secuya, philboxing.com founder, for tirelessly taking the pictures Sun.Star Cebu used for our Bautista coverage. Thanks also to Sammy Gello-ani, Edito Villamor and Golden Boy promotions for all the help they extended during my Tampa stay.
