Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and Donnie “Ahas” Nietes retained their respective titles with spectacular knockout victories over foreign foes in last Saturday’s “WBO Night of Champions” card at the Waterfront-Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Bautista stopped Eden “Anestecista” Marquez of Mexico at 1:08 of the second round to keep his WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight crown, while Nietes remained as the WBO minimumweight champion after demolishing the hapless Nicaraguan challenger Eddy “Torito II” Castro at 2:49 also in round two.
Bautista’s rousing triumph brightened his chances to be inserted in the undercard of the December 6 superfight between Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Candijay, Bohol-native Bautista now holds a 26-1 win-loss record spiked with 18KOs, while Nietes, who is set to face next mandatory challenger Daniel Reyes of Colombia, improved to 23-1-3 dotted with 14KOs.
In the undercards of the blockbuster show presented by ALA Promotions in association with ABS CBN Sports, WBO Youth lightweight titlist Jason Pagara scored a smashing fourth round stoppage of Thai Kongdej Sithtrajtrakan, while Jomanz Omanz could only salvage a split draw with former WBC International bantamweight king Roger Galicia.
Weng Haya won by majority decision over Ricky Sismundo, while Albert Villacampa defeated Fil-Am JV “Fightdoc” Tuazon by split decision.