Wednesday, January 10, 2007 Boom-Boom, Gorres off to US for training
FILIPINO title hopefuls Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista and Z “The Dream” Gorres are now in the US to formally start their rigid trainings for big battles that loom ahead.
The two ALA Boys left the Philippines yesterday and were expected to arrive in Los Angeles today.
Bautista will headline the World Cup Boxing against Mexican WBO super-bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon, while Gorres will challenge another Mexican champion Fernando Montiel for the WBO super-featherweight title in the Philippines vs. Mexico standoff on March 4 here in Cebu.
The 20-year-old Bautista, who is holding a 21-0 record, with 16 KOs, is taking the biggest gamble of his young boxing career as he faces the dangerous de Leon, who is parading a 30-1, ring record with 28 KOs.
Confident
On the other hand, the 24-year old Gorres, of Mandaue City, carries a 26-1-1, 14 KOs win-loss-draw record, is confident of beating the 27-year-old Montiel (32-2-1, 24 KOs) in their 12-round bout.
The Boxing World Cup is expected to draw huge names in boxing---including Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley---to Cebu.
Both Bautista, who hails from Candijay, Bohol, and Gorres started their training in Cebu but will polish their skills at the Wild Card Gym under the close watch of Freddie Roach.
Best sparring partners
“We are hoping that we could get the best sparring partners at the Wild Card Gym and further polish their (Bautista and Gorres) skills. We are waiting for this opportunity to come and here it is,” said ALA Boys chief trainer Edito Villamor.
Villamor accompanied Bautista and Gorres in their US sojourn.
The ALA Boys will in training at the Wild Card for six weeks before formally closing their training camp back at the ALA Gym in Cebu. (RCM)
