Bautista expects tough fight

WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight champion Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista expects a tough fight that inspite of the very cold weather in United States, he trained and prepared so hard for his forthcoming battle against Mexican Gerardo Espinoza on December 23 at the Sycuan Resort and Casino in El Cajon, California, USA.

"We're having a difficulty adjusting to the cold weather in here, but still Rey (Bautista) is training hard. He is expecting a tough fight (on December 23)," said Bautista's trainer Edito "ALA" Villamor.

Testament to his strict training regimen is that a day after his arrival, Bautista jogged in the morning and then trained at the Wild Card Gym in the afternoon where he engaged in an intense sparring session with WBO/NABO super flyweight champion Karen Harutyunyan for four rounds. The Boholano boxer from the municipality of Candijay was a bit sluggish due to jetlag.

Last December 6, the WBO No.1 and WBC No.118-pounder Bautista shifted training to Boxing 2000 Gym in Orange County, California, just a stone throw away from the residence of American Michael Koncz, Bautista's US agent.

Bautista, who sports an unblemished 18-0 record spiked with 14KOs since turning pro two years ago, has to train in there at that time since Freddie Roach was in Germany for a tour of duty.

Aside from Haruthunyan, the 19-year-old Bautista also sparred with Californian lightweight champion Edgar Favian for four rounds and super bantamweight prospect Israel Nacarrete for three rounds.

Villamor said Bautista was very impressive against Vargas, who outweighed his boxer by 10 pounds, and Nacarrete.

Last December 10, Bautista sparred with another giant in Art Simonyan, who once challenged Mexican Israel Vasquez for the IBF super bantamweight champion. Bautista lasted for only two rounds as fatigue factor caught him up.

Four days ago, Bautista returned to Wild Card Gym where he mixed it up with Mexican brothers Enrique and Daniel Cuevedo for three rounds each. Villamor said his boy was quite sluggish and slow footed, but still managed to put up a good sparring.

In their second meeting though, Bautista was impressive in whipping the Mexican brothers with his electrifying punches.

This will be Bautista's third fight in America this year alone, his second straight in the US mainland since scoring a spectacular third round stoppage Colombian Felix Flores Murillo last September at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

In his previous bout, Bautista ruthlessly knocked out Tanzanian Obote "Thunder' Ameme of South African in the second round to retain his WBO regional belt for the second time last November 19 in the historic "Binakbakay sa Tagbilaran" card at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex in Tagbilaran City.