Despite suffering a gruesome cut, Rey ‘Boom Boom’ Bautista was awarded a seventh-round technical decision over Mexican veteran Heriberto Ruiz late Saturday night in their 12-round featherweight bloodbath at the Waterfront Hotel.
A wound measuring almost three inches was opened on Bautista’s scalp in the sixth round by a head butt and after close examination by ring physical Jose Unabia, referee Danrex Tapdasan ordered a stoppage of the fight at the :56 mark of the seventh round.
Since the cut was caused by a butt, the fight was ruled a technical decision victory for Bautista, who led on all three scorecards when the fight was stopped.
Bruce McTavish of New Zealand, a long-time Philippine resident, scored it 69-65, while Rey Danseco had it 68-65 and Indonesian Muhammad Rois saw it 68-65.
It was a sorry ending for the action-packed match as Bautista and Ruiz were constantly trading power punches after a cautious first round.
Aside from the scalp wound, Bautista also had a cut on his right eyebrow that was also caused by a butt.
Bautista said he was disappointed that the fight had to be stopped.
“Hindi ako umaayaw sa laban,” said Bautista, noting that Ruiz fought a dirty fight.
Still, some spectators did not hide their displeasure probably not of the decision but of Bautista himself, who looked tentative at certain times when he should have thrown more punches as Ruiz looked very hittable at close range.
Tapdasan admitted having seen some instances when Bautista should have thrown punches but the 24-year-old Filipino opted to not to, probably for fear of being struck with a sneaky counter.
Ruiz protested the outcome but there were signs that the 33-year-old Mexican was starting to fade when the end came.
- Nick Giongco, MB
A wound measuring almost three inches was opened on Bautista’s scalp in the sixth round by a head butt and after close examination by ring physical Jose Unabia, referee Danrex Tapdasan ordered a stoppage of the fight at the :56 mark of the seventh round.
Since the cut was caused by a butt, the fight was ruled a technical decision victory for Bautista, who led on all three scorecards when the fight was stopped.
Bruce McTavish of New Zealand, a long-time Philippine resident, scored it 69-65, while Rey Danseco had it 68-65 and Indonesian Muhammad Rois saw it 68-65.
It was a sorry ending for the action-packed match as Bautista and Ruiz were constantly trading power punches after a cautious first round.
Aside from the scalp wound, Bautista also had a cut on his right eyebrow that was also caused by a butt.
Bautista said he was disappointed that the fight had to be stopped.
“Hindi ako umaayaw sa laban,” said Bautista, noting that Ruiz fought a dirty fight.
Still, some spectators did not hide their displeasure probably not of the decision but of Bautista himself, who looked tentative at certain times when he should have thrown more punches as Ruiz looked very hittable at close range.
Tapdasan admitted having seen some instances when Bautista should have thrown punches but the 24-year-old Filipino opted to not to, probably for fear of being struck with a sneaky counter.
Ruiz protested the outcome but there were signs that the 33-year-old Mexican was starting to fade when the end came.
- Nick Giongco, MB
