Bautista knocks out Barrera in 3rd round

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

First Posted 12:59:02 02/02/2011

Filed Under: Boxing, Rey Boom Boom Baustista, Alejandro Barrera

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CEBU CITY—It was swift and decisive this time as Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista knocked out Mexican Alejando Barrera in the third round of their rematch before a sellout crowd at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Hotel and Casino on Saturday night.

Bautista, who won with a controversial fourth-round TKO in their first featherweight meeting last August, first nailed Barrera with a vicious left hook to the liver that sent the Mexican crumbling to the canvas in agony.

Barrera beat the count but Bautista pounced on him with a series of blows that again toppled the Mexican, who was counted out this time by referee Bruce McTavish.

The end came in 2:56 of the third round as Bautista improved to 30-2 with 23 KOs.

Barrera, who was ruled unfit to continue because of a nasty cut under his left eye last August, dropped to 21-5 with 14 knockouts.

In a postfight interview with the Inquirer, Bautista said he trained hard for two months to prove his critics wrong.

Once rated as heir apparent to Manny Pacquiao, his stature fell after his first-round TKO in a WBO super bantamweight title fight against Daniel Ponce De Leon two years ago.

Bautista said he is aching for a rematch with Ponce De Leon but ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said he feels “Boom Boom” needs two more fight before he’ll be ready for the menacing Mexican.

In the supporting main event of the blockbuster fight card telecast by ABS-CBN over Channel 2, 19-year-old light welterweight Jayson Pagara also knocked out Indonesian Billy Sumba in the first round.

Another Indonesian, Sofyan Effendi, put on a gallant performance before former WBC light flyweight silver champ Edrin Dapudong stopped him late in the seventh round.