THE wait is over for Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista as he faces Alejandro “Zorrito” Barrera in the main event of the Philippines vs. The World tonight at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug.
Both fighers made the limit in the weighin yesterday at 126.25 pounds.
“This is a very important fight for me so I can return to where I was at before I suffered those two losses,” said Bautista, who is 28-2 with 21 KOs.
Zorrito, the cousin of Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera, is no pushover either and is 20-3 with 13 KOs.
“I know Mexicans are warriors but I am ready,” said Bautista.
In the undercards, world-rated Milan “Milenyo” Melindo will put his reputation as one of the elite figters in the lower divisions on the line against Korean flyweight champion Jin Man Jeon.
Melindo is 21-0 with six knockouts and is ranked No. 5 in the World Boxing Organization, while Jeon is 13-3-1 with three knockouts.
One-time world title challenger, Jimrex “Executioner” Jaca, will also try to get back on track as he slugs it out with Pipino “Gerardo” Cuevas Jr., the son of the Mexican icon with the same name that held the World Boxing Association welterweight crown in the late 70’s.
Both pack a punch as shown by their records. Jaca is 30-6-3 with 15 knockouts, while Cuevas Jr. is 14-5 with 12 knockouts.
Ex-International Boxing Federation mini-flyweight titlist Florante “The Little Pacquiao” Condes also ends his one-year layoff tonight against Indonesian Sofyan Effendi.