Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista, the No. 2-ranked super bantamweight by the World Boxing Council, will slug it out as one of the undercards of the International Boxing Organization light welterweight clash between Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton and Paul Malignaggi at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 22.

Bautista was actually supposed to be featured as an undercard in "The Dream Match" welterweight super bout between Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya on December 6.

According to Manila-based sports analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz, de la Hoya, who owns Golden Boy Promotions, which also happens to be Bautista's promoter in the US, opted to put the Filipino pug in the Hatton-Malignaggi card because of his existing contract, in addition to issues on broadcast rights that is held exclusively by ABS-CBN In the Philippines.

Michael Aldeguer of ALA Gym, Bautista's promoter in the Philippines, told Nathanielsz that they are now finalizing details of Bautista's possible opponent with Golden Boy.

Aldeguer added that details are also being finalized for the WBO title eliminator between No. 2-ranked Z "The Dream" Gorres and Puerto Rico's Jose Lopez (No. 3-ranked) on December 5, also in Las Vegas.
 
The WBO title is currently held by Fernando Montiel who is expected to move up to bantamweight since he was having trouble making the 115 pound limit.

Meanwhile, promising prospects Michael Domingo, the reigning WBO Oriental bantamweight champ, and Philippine light welter king Mark Jason Melligen are set to leave for Las Vegas on October 28 to train at the gym of former Cebu resident Tony Martin in preparation for their US fights.

Trainers Edito and Edwin Villamor are expected to join Bautista and Gorres in their US training.