Boom Boom: It’s time to hang ‘em up shoes
DAVAO CITY , Philippines – Rey “Boom Boom†Bautista is ripe for retirement. Unless he does it by himself or he finds a new handler and decides to continue fighting, ALA Promotions, which has nourished and nurtured Bautista through the years, would rather see him quit.
Before it gets too late.
“Yes, we believe he should retire,†ALA president Michael Aldeguer told The STAR yesterday, less than 24 hours after Bautista suffered yet another terrible loss inside the ring.
Bautista, once dubbed as the next big thing in Philippine boxing, went down in the opening round against Juan “Negro†Ramirez of Mexico at the USEP Gymnasium here.
He went on to relinquish his WBO International featherweight crown. It was a bloody fight as both boxers were cut, and it was an ugly fight for Bautista.
For Aldeguer, it should be his last.
“What you saw last night was the handwriting on the wall. What’s important is his health. No need for him to continue,†said the youthful president of ALA Promotions.
No, age hasn’t caught up with Bautista because at 26, he is younger than most champions in this brutal sport. But many believe that he’s done as a boxer.
Bautista should look at the brighter side of life.
“He has his own business now, four vehicles, two houses and savings in the bank which we made sure of. He just got married in December of last year and has a newborn son. No need for him to continue,†said Aldeguer.
The old man of ALA Promotions, Antonio Aldeguer, felt the same way.
“You’ve seen the last of Boom Boom. He should retire. Why punish the guy?†he said at ringside.
Hours after the fight, Bautista accepted defeat.
“Talo talaga,†he said.
Bautista, of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, made a name for himself by going 23-0. Many thought of him then as “the next†Manny Pacquiao. But a staggering first-round loss to Daniel Ponce de Leon in 2007 changed all the perception.
He lost to Heriberto Ruiz on points in 2008 then racked up eight straight wins. But he was never the same again.
Bautista is an explosive fighter always trying to knock an opponent out. Of his 34 wins, 25 were knockouts. But he’s often exposed, and can’t take a good punch.
Days before the fight, Ramirez said he knew Bautista has a weak chin. It didn’t take long for the Mexican to prove it when he sent the Filipino down in the last 18 seconds of the first round with a left hook. Bautista fell low and bounced against the ropes.
The referee, Bruce McTavish, was too slow to stand in between and give Bautista the count. Ramirez hit him with a right, and Bautista went down again.
Bautista fought on for 11 hard rounds and the crowd held its breath. He caught Ramirez with good shots of his own, and looked ready to finish him off in the ninth.
A couple of times the Mexican went down, but they were ruled as slips. Bautista often clinched and at times grabbed Ramirez by the neck. Twice or thrice, he pushed the Mexican down to the floor.
Bautista was fighting for his life, and was doing everything to survive. He did last the distance. But the large crowd at the USEP Gymnasium did not like it. In the closing rounds, they started booing Bautista and cheering on Ramirez.
Chants of “Ra-mi-rez! Ra-mi-rez!†started to fill the air, even after the decision was announced. Judge Edward Ligas had it 114-111 for Bautista while the two others, Salven Lagumbay and Danrex Tapdasan, saw it right and scored it 114-111 for Ramirez.
If Bautista won the decision, the crowd would have hated it. Bautista bowed his head after the verdict was announced, and the Mexican camp whooped it up.
“Boom Boom was no longer fighting a clean fight. Filipino fans don’t like that,†said someone at ringside as to why the crowd kept booing their countryman.
“I just hope the public will give him the respect he deserves as one of the most entertaining fighters ever in the Philippines, who has given the fans exciting fights and always cared to entertain them,†said the younger Aldeguer.
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