Bare Eye
Why Boom Boom failed in his Vegas voyage
By Recah Trinidad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 06:29:00 11/25/2008
Filed Under: Boxing
The first thing to determine about Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista is whether he made it to the MGM Grand for his defining comeback fight on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
Reports from Las Vegas said the 22-year-old Bautista fought, was floored and wounded, before losing by unanimous decision.
The amount of gallant blood smeared on his young face showed that Bautista did show up for the big fight.
However, it would also become clear that Boom Boom, once heralded as prime successor to the great Manny Pacquiao, failed to arrive.
* * *
That won’t be easy to explain.
Mainly to those who had been assured that a brand-new Boom Boom, focused and a lot more mature, would report for the fight.
Was he aware of the immensity of the mission?
If to a ship, Bautista, after a grand send-off, made it to port.
Unfortunately, the poor fellow failed to complete the voyage.
* * *
In fact, he often resembled a sumo wrestler, virtually armless, who kept lurching and leading in with his uncovered chin.
Either his soles were also aching, or there was trouble with his footwear.
If not, why did he have to wage battle with an awkward, predictable stance?
It was totally unexpected of the colorful, very promising warrior who was weaned back to form after suffering his first loss, by knockout, against former world super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon in Sacramento, California, last year.
* * *
As could only be expected, the man most surprised—and disappointed—was sportsman Tony Aldeguer, owner of the world-famous ALA Stable in Cebu City.
Aldeguer firmly claimed they did everything, in the process giving Bautista three tune-up fights, which he all won, the last two by second-round knockout.
The repackaging had indeed looked super, close to perfect.
Aldeguer swore they prepared everything humanly possible for Bautista to be ready for his defining comeback assignment.
* * *
With the world and countless expectant countrymen watching, Bautista reported to the ring in his glossy signature black attire and gears.
He was bubbly, almost luminous, as he raised his right hand before blurting “Boom Boom” in the direction of the audience, a cannon all fired up to hit and sink an enemy ship.
No, the fight was not exactly a mismatch.
Bautista connected a few of his own but these blows were pitifully petty.
While the call of the moment was for him to connect with those ax-like haymakers of old, he was nicking with tiny kitchen blades.
* * *
It would be an understatement to say that he also forgot his defensive gears in the dugout.
No, it was not a déjà vu of that crushing KO loss in the boxing World Cup in Sacramento last year.
Boom Boom was in top shape, Tony Aldeguer confirmed.
We asked for a tough foe, we got it, Aldeguer added.
But did Bautista allow his fame to precede him inside the ring?
That’s hard to determine, although he looked a bit giddy, as he did in Sacramento last year, before the first bell at MGM Grand on Sunday.
* * *
Well, Boom Boom was supposed to have learned his lessons after that first defeat.
But why did he keep repeating the same old mistakes?
“We don’t know where we to go from here,” rued Aldeguer.
Meanwhile, Boom Boom was predictably received with applause from his countrymen when he left the ring.
There were assurances from Filipinos that he did well.
Tony Aldeguer better tell Boom Boom this: He definitely didn’t.
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