09.08.07 – By Ted Sares: When undefeated Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista (23 -0 -with 17KOs) and Daniel Ponce De Leon (31-1-with 28 KOs), the WBO Super Bantamweight Champion, face off this coming Saturday in Sacramento, you just know there is a good possibility of it being another Meza-Garza, Benn-Barkley or Marquez-Vazquez type shootout.
De Leon hopes to add the rising Filipino star to his list of victims. Bautista, on the other hand, wants to become the next boxing icon and to bring home a world title to his home province, Bohol, in the Philippines. There will be no surprises here. These two will be like Old West gunfighters eager to engage in a shootout. Another “Boom Boom” by the name Ray Mancini engaged in one of these cock fights with Arturo Frias in 1982 and there was more action in 2:54 of the first and only round in that one than in most 10-round fights.
Ponce de Leon is a rugged power puncher (88% KO ratio) known for his incredible work rate and great stamina, but his approach is more crude than polished. He is an incoming, pressure fighter who wings his shots continually and breaks down his opponents. His physical strength allows him to swarm his opponents as well. His stunning knockout of Sod Looknongyangtoy still resonates as one of the most chilling I have witnessed. Yet, his tendency to be overly sloppy at times could prove dangerous against the very strong (and reportedly headstrong) Filipino prodigy Boom Boom Bautista. Like Daniel, he is not the slickest fighter but he more than makes up for it with an all-out offense and a warrior‘s demeanor.
Boom Boom possesses excellent hand speed, fine footwork, a competent defense, and above average power. All in all, he is better skilled than the 27-year-old Ponce de Leon, or said another way, he is far less awkward and crude than “the Tarahumara Destroyer,’ but he also is in the infancy of his career.
While the De Leon camp took another Filipino fighter, Gary Penalosa, too lightly in their last outing, don’t look for that to happen here. Look for Pone de Leon to pressure and drive back his younger opponent from the get go, setting the tempo and dictating the pace in what could well be a non-stop pier six brawl. Look for sudden fury in Sacramento. Look for someone to hit the deck, maybe both. Look for Macho Explosivo.
Part Two will deal with the outcome.