Mexican boxer Hiriberto Ruiz will not be short on motivation when he and Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista face each other anew in the main event of the Pinoy Pride 6: Grudge Rematch on June 11 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Ruiz said he will be extra motivated in his rematch with Bautista, believing that the door of opportunity of earning a world title fight will open for him should he beat the prized ALA Gym fighter anew.
“He (Bautista) is my stepping stone to another crack for a world championship fight,” Ruiz said. A second straight victory over Bautista will definitely beef up Ruiz’s stock.
“Beating Bautista again will be tough but I know I have what it takes to beat him. I did it before and I will do it again,” said Ruiz.
Ruiz is on some sort of a roll as he won six of his last nine fights since beating Bautista via a unanimous decision in their first meeting last Nov. 22, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Five of those six victories came by way of knockouts. Ruiz also has won his last two fights via the short route — beating Jesus Velarde and Jose Camacho last Dec. 10, 2010 and Feb. 19, 2011, respectively.
One thing going against Ruiz was that two of his last three defeats were KO losses as he admits that nothing will be easy in his rematch with Bautista in the card presented by ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports with the support of the Cebu City government, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, Cebu Grand Hotel, Diamond Suites and Residences, SM City Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, Sunstar Daily, Cebu Daily News, Mooon Cafe, Thirsty Juices and Shakes, Parkmall, Omni Graphics and Advance Graphics.
That loss to Ruiz has somehow slowed down Bautista’s career. It didn’t help that Bautista suffered a wrist injury that hugely contributed to his loss in his first encounter with Ruiz.
Bautista, however, has shown that he has regained his tip-top shape by winning his last four fights. With the two fighters seeking an all-important victory, boxing aficionados are expecting nothing but a slambang encounter.
Tickets for the upcoming fight are available at the ALA Promotions head office with tel no. 2364611, ALA Fitness Gym-BTC, Bisaya Ispisyal and USA Sports Boutiques at the Ayala Center-Cebu, Mooon Cafe I.T. Park, Parkmall Customer Service Booth and at the Pinoy Pride Ticket Counter at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. /PR with a report from Correspondent Dale Rosal