ALA boxers impressive in public workout

REY “Boom-Boom” Bautista, Jason Pagara and Edrin ‘The Sting’ Dapudong wowed the crowd at the SM Cebu Events Center yesterday with a public workout to promote the June 11 Pinoy Pride 6: Grudge Rematch at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Dapudong and Pagara opened the festivities with stretching exercises, skipping rope and hitting the punch mitts. Bautista followed a few minutes later and performed his workout routine with trainer Edmund Villamor.

Bautista (30W-2L, 23 KOs) will have his grudge rematch against Heriberto Ruiz (46W-10L-2D, 28 KOs) of Mexico in a 12-round battle for the IBF International featherweight title. Bautista spoke to the fans after his workout and invited them to watch the fight.

“I am not overconfident because the fight will be held in Cebu. I know Ruiz is a veteran and I expect a difficult fight. But I will try my best and I hope the fans will watch and support and pray for the Filipino boxers,” Bautista said.

Pagara (26W-1K, 15 KOs) will test a tough Latino boxer for the first time against Juan Carlos Gallegos (16W-4L, 10 KOs) of Mexico. Dapudong (21W-3L, 12 KOs), a former WBC Silver flyweight champ, will face a young but unbeaten Benja ‘ Rhinoceros’ Loemoli (11W-0L, 7 KOs) of Indonesia.

After their workout, the boxers posed for photos with fans some of whom won free tickets during the Q and A session. Correspondent Rene Bonsubre