THE 19th edition of ‘Pinoy Pride’ billed as the ‘Mexican Invasion’ will be held at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) gym in Davao City on April 20.
ALA Promotions’ top crowd drawer Rey ‘Boom Boom’ Bautista will headline the event when he defends his WBO International featherweight title against Jose “Negro” Ramirez of Mexico.
Bautista (34W(25 KOs)- 2L), who hails from Candijay, Bohol, will make the first defense of the title he won last October by split decision against Daniel Ruiz of Mexico at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Ramirez (24W (15 KOs)- 3L) will be fighting out of Mexico for the first time and is coming off wins last year against Rene Ruiz (KO5) and Sergio Lopez (UD8) in his hometown of Mexicali, Baja California.
Rocky Fuentes of Cebu City is set to face Juan Kantun (20W (15 KOs)-3L-3D) of Yucatan, Mexico in a ten round non-title contest.
Fuentes (34W(20 KOs)– 6L-2D), the reigning OPBF flyweight champion, showed his road warrior spirit last December when he beat Yuki Nasu in Japan by unanimous decision.
Kantun is the reigning WBC Youth superflyweight titlist and has the experience of facing tough contenders like Ivan Meneses, Omar Soto and Jesus Iribe.
In a potential show stopper, two unbeaten Filipinos are set to square off for the OPBF super flyweight title. Defending champion ‘King’ Arthur Villanueva (20W(11KOs)-0L) of the ALA gym will trade punches against challenger Marco Demecillo (18W(14 KOs)-0L-1D) of the RWS Gym.
Villanueva won the vacant title last December by unanimous decision in Japan against Taiki Eto. Demecillo, who is the Philippine superflyweight champion, has stopped his last six opponents.
Also set to see action is knockout artist Lorenzo ‘Thunderbolt’ Villanueva (23W(21KOs)-1L) of North Cotabato, who will face Arief Blader (17W(6KOs)-9L-1D) of Indonesia. Villanueva suffered his first career loss last year when he was stopped in the second round by Daud Cino Yordan of Indonesia in an IBO title bout at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Completing the line-up for this blockbuster card are Englebert Moralde vs. Abel Gayhun (6 rounds), John Vincent Moralde vs. Juvel Gayhun (6 rds), Kim Galon vs. Joselito Tabago ( 4 rds) and Glendon Ramos vs. Jessie Suacasa (4 rds). /correspondent Rene Bonsubre Jr.