Golden Boy signs up two ALA fighters

The United States-based Golden Boy Promotions Inc. of five-time world champion Oscar de la Hoya forged a business partnership with Cebu’s famed ALA Boxing Group signing up promotional contracts with marquee fighters Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and Z Gorres.

The tie-up between the two boxing outfits was sealed through a contract-signing between Golden Boy Promotions vice president and matchmaker Eric Gomez and ALA top honcho Antonio Aldeguer yesterday in Cebu City. Gomez declined to divulge the terms and conditions of the contract, but said it is a "very good and fair deal."

It will be the first time that Filipino fighters would be fighting under the Golden Boy Promotions, which boasts of a slew of boxing stars like Shane Mosley, Winly Wright, Marco Antonio Barrera and Oscar Larios.

Bautista and Gorres will have their maiden ring appearance under the wings of Golden Boy Promotions on May 20 in the undercard of Barrera’s WBC super featherweight title defense against Rocky Juarez at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Top boxing officials led by nternational matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz of Golden Boy, international promoter Sammy Gello-ani of SGG Sports Promotions, WBO Asia Pacific chairman Leon Panuncillo, US agent Michael Koncz, and Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim also attended the affair.

Meanwhile, Gorres got an added motivation in his bid for the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation’s super flyweight fight tonight when De la Hoya wished him good luck.

Gorres fights Thai veteran Waengpetch Chuwatana for the vacant OPBF super flyweight title at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex.

"Z Gorres is a very good fighter and a great champion and I wish him all the luck in his fight on Saturday night (today)," said De la Hoya in a tele-conference yesterday.

"I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Antonio Aldeguer and SGG Sports Promotions of Sammy Gello-ani for giving me this opportunity to work with them. It’s really a pleasure we are joining forces in promoting future superstars in boxing. We will make sure they will become champions for the world to watch," said De la Hoya .

De la Hoya said they decided to venture in the Philippines as they believe the future of boxing lies in talented Filipino and Mexican fighters.

"The best warriors in the world today are Filipinos and Mexicans. What Manny Pacquiao demonstrated that he is the best in his class by beating Barrera and other great fighters made me realize we have to work with the Philippines. The future of boxing is the Philippines and Mexico," said De la Hoya.