Philippines, 17 Mar 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


CONCEPCION LOOKING FORWARD TO A KNOCKOUT


PhilBoxing.com




World rated featherweight Bernabe Concepcion is looking forward to a knockout win in his crucial showdown with Puerto Rico’s hard-hitting southpaw Mario Santiago when they open the pay-per-view telecast of the exciting “Pinoy Power III/Latin Fury 13” Top Rank fight card at the Pavilion of the Las Vegas Hilton on Sunday morning Manila Time.

A Concepcion win will kickoff the Philippine telecast by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN on its pre-eminent Channel 2 at 10:30 a.m. in style and will hopefully set the stage for another successful showing on the international stage by Filipino fighters inspired by the achievements of the “Fighter of the Decade” and pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.

Three other Filipinos will battle three tough Latinos with undefeated Ciso “Kid Terrible” Morales taking on Mexico’s Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel for his WBO bantamweight title, former two division world champion Gerry Penalosa going up against another former world champion Eric Morel in a WBO bantamweight interim title fight and WBA super flyweight Interim champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire squaring off with last minute replacement Manuel “Chango” Vargas of Mexico in the main event.

In an interview with Dyan Castillejo and this reporter who will serve as the broadcast team for the ABS-CBN telecast, Concepcion conceded that while Santiago is good “I am looking forward to a knockout victory.”

The come-on for both Concepcion and Santiago is the promise of a world title fight against WBO champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez who raised the hands of both fighters after they made the 126 pound limit with no trouble.

Concepcion said he had no problems in training, was in good condition and felt strong and was happy about his weight.

Concepcion said the promise of a title shot at Juanma Lopez motivated him “to win impressively so I can move up and fight Lopez. I want to give a good fight so the fight with Lopez will push through.”

The 22 year old fighter with a vicious right hand said he was not bothered by the fact that Santiago is a southpaw having fought then champion Steven Luevano and having sparred with southpaws while training in the Philippines prior to arriving at the Wild Card Gym where his training was handled by Restituto “Buboy” Fernandez.

He revealed that together with his trainer they had studied the style of Santiago "so we know how to counter effectively and well."

Fernandez told us that Concepion was in good condition since he reported early to the Wild Card Gym after training in the Philippines.

The popular trainer said “I hope what we worked out in training will come out in the fight."

Fernandez conceded that Santiago was “a tough opponent with considerable experience and he has fought for the world title but we Filipinos will not allow ourselves to be beaten.”

Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz who handles Concepcion’s career in the US along with Pacquiao told Dennis Guillermo of Examiner.com “I just know that Bernabe is going to go in there and he’s gonna give it the best he can and we’ll see what happens. I feel confident he will win but how, I don’t make those predictions.”


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Esneth Domingo Trains at the Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles Ahead of His US Debut
    , Tue, 17 Mar 2026
  • Tatay Digong Birthday Run on March 28
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 17 Mar 2026
  • 12-0 prospect Marco Romero to headline This Friday in Independence, Missouri
    , Tue, 17 Mar 2026
  • 700 athletes on March 21-22 at UM
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 17 Mar 2026
  • United States Earns Four Gold Medals on Final Day of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Mon, 16 Mar 2026
  • Mexico wins 2 bronze medals at World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Mon, 16 Mar 2026
  • Arnold Barboza Jr. Shines in Welterweight Debut, Defeats Kenneth Sims Jr. to Claim Wbo Global Welterweight Title
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • WBC top contender Canoy returns to Davao with Unanimous Decision Victory
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • John Randall Peralta: The Future of the Philippine Chess
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • Alvin “Felemon” Dologuin Claims Win in Brico Santig’s Show in Thailand (PHOTOS)
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • Donaire's Yokohama Showdown: Can our Filipino Flash Outshine the Rising Sun? (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS)
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Wins Five of Eight Bouts on Day Six
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surpasses Chamberlain's record of 127 consecutive NBA games with 20 points or more
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • World-Ranked Light Heavyweight Najee Lopez Stops Mexican Terminator Manuel Gallego in Eight Classic Rounds in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Weigh-in from Highland Boxing in Bangkok, Thailand; Dologuin in Action (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS)
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Oval rules 35th CityHeights slugfest
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Sims vs. Barboza and Dickens vs. Cacace Headline Doubleheader on DAZN
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Rubilen Amit sustains amazing run of victories at WPBA Pool in New York
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Weights Set in Anaheim: Barboza Jr. and Sims Jr. Ready for Welterweight War; Collazo Defends Titles
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Rising Young Star Yoenis Tellez Takes on Top Contender Brian Mendoza in New Co-Main Event of PBC Pay-per-View Event Available on Prime Video Saturday, March 28
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Five USA Boxers Qualify for Medal Rounds on Day Six of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Rubilen Amit off to hot start in her WPBA debut
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Pavel Sosulin stops Victor Nagbe to remain unbeaten at IBA Pro 15 in Saint Petersburg
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Nicaraguan Boxing Commission hold Annual Awards to 2025 winners
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • BARBOZA JR. VS. SIMS JR. FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.