BACOLOD City After three long years of waiting, Rey Boom-Boom Bautista will finally get a chance to avenge a heart-rending loss that somehow slowed down his career. And revenge will be Bautista's main goal when he and Hireberto Ruiz cross path anew in the Pinoy Pride 6: Grudge Rematch on June 11 in a still undetermined venue in Cebu City. I've been dreaming of him. I had sleepless nights thinking of that loss. Now that the time has come to avenge, I'll do everything to beat him, said Bautista in a press briefing yesterday at the Palmas del Mar Hotel. Ruiz defeated Bautista via unanimous decision in their eight-round duel last Nov. 22, 2008 in Las Vegas. Bautista of the fabled ALA Gym was once touted to succeed Manny Pacquiao until that loss which practically forced the Boholano boxer to start from scratch. Bautista went through a lot after that loss. He was in tears and he initially did not want to return to the Philippines or to Bohol as he was afraid of what he may hear from people, said ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer. Before that loss, we noticed that there was something wrong with him so we talked to him and it was only there that we found out that a pain in his left wrist was bothering him, said Aldeguer. A medical check-up confirmed a rotten bone. Because of that wrist injury, Boom-Boom could not physically do what he wanted to do in his fight against Ruiz. His left hand was his main weapon so the injury greatly affected his performance. But we didn't announce the injury to the media or to the public to avoid misconception that we are just making excuses, said Aldeguer. Aldeguer said Bautista underwent an operation where a bone from his hip replaced the rotted bone. Now, the hard-punching boxer believes he is back in tip-top form winning his last four fights since that loss including a resounding knockout win over Mexican Alejandro Barrera in the Pinoy Pride 3 last Jan. 29. Even my last fight with Barrera, I was thinking of Ruiz. I am really mad at him and I promise to do better, to train harder in our second meeting, said Bautista (30W-2L-23KOs). Trainer Edmund Villamor said Bautista will focus on improving his defense for the 12-round fight which will stake the IBF intl featherweight title...............WAR "BOOM,BOOM":bbb
