Bautista faces another tough battle

CEBU - ALA Boxing Gym star Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista is in for another tough grind as he battles Mexican toughie Heriberto “Cuata” Ruzi in the undercard of the IBP light welterweight showdown between Paul Malignaggi and Ricky “Hitman” Hatton on November 22 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 31-year old Ruiz holds a 39-7-2 win-loss-draw record spiked with 23 knockouts, but four of his defeats were against former world champions in Rafael Marqiez, Irene Pacheco, and Mauricio Pastrana. In his last fight, he lost to another ex-world titlist Eric Morel by unanimous decision in their WBO Inter-Continental bantamweight championship bout last August 30 at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Ruiz is the reigning WBC FECOMBOX 118-pound champion. He snatched the title with a 12-round shutout of Francisco Garcia last February at the Parque Revolucion in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico.

The 22-year-old Bautista, on the other hand, swelp all his three matches since a devastating first KO loss to former WBO super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon. During his previous ring appearance, the Candijay, Bohol warrior scored a smashing second round stoppage of Mexican Eden Marquez last August 30 at the Waterfront-Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Bautista carries a 26-1 win-loss record garnished with 19KOs. He bears a renewed quest for world championship glory and is fighting in the United States for the first time since the August 11, 2007 stunner dealt by De Leon. (THE FREEMAN)