Boom Boom' Bautista to fight in San Diego on August 14

Former world super bantamweight title challenger Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista whose planned fight alongside world-rated bantamweight AJ “Bazooka” Banal at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia on June 26 was called off, will instead see action in San Diego on August 14.

According to respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer there is no word yet on Bautista’s opponent but the promoter of the card which combines MMA and boxing is a new group called Powerhouse Promotions.

The 23 year old Bautista who has moved up to featherweight is coming off back-to-back victories after a disappointing eight round unanimous decision loss to Heriberto Ruiz in a bout he was widely expected to win. It was later discovered that Bautista had a badly damaged wrist that needed surgery and the grafting of a piece of bone taken from his hip.

Bautista who was mobbed by Filipinos in Dubai didn’t disappoint his fans by scoring a 6th round knockout in a tough battle with Thailand’s Saichon Sotompitak (10-1, 5 KO’s) on April 23, 2010. Bautista earlier scored a 7th round TKO over strong and durable Marangin Marbun of Indonesia to win the WBC International featherweight interim title on October 16, 2009.

The large Filipino community in San Diego is bound to turn up in force to support Bautista who is a popular young fighter.

In the meantime there are plans to feature Banal in a fight card in mid-July in Bohol to coincide with the Sandugo festival in that picturesque province where popular sportsman and boxing aficionado Mayor Dan Neri Lim won re-election as Mayor of Tagbilaran City.