Boxing fans are in for a solid weekend of action. Nine boxers rated in The Ring magazine?s top ten duck between the ropes with three nationally televised bouts and four world titles hanging in the balance. Sadly, the best fight of the weekend is not aired by an English language TV network. Yes, the widely available Showtime, Fox Sports Net/ Fox Deportes and Telefutura screen bouts on American television but none of their fights could compare with a Hernan Marquez ? Luis Concepcion rematch featuring a third of the action from the pair?s first brutal encounter. The Marquez – Concepcion clash tomorrow night is the most underreported fight of the week despite their initial meeting meriting serious consideration for ?Fight of the Year? on any credible end-of-the-year list. This contest lacks nothing?except a wider audience.
Mexican and Panamanian audiences (or those who have TV Azteca in America) had the satisfaction of witnessing the first fight between ?Tyson? Marquez and ?El Nica? Concepcion and it speaks to a lack of insight by American broadcasters that this is again the case for the rematch. Marquez and Concepcion are rated number one and two, respectively, by The Ring magazine and the winner emerges as the clear challenger to current The Ring magazine World Flyweight Champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam. The Ring described Marquez and Concepcion?s first meeting as, ?A brutal war of attrition that should be considered a fight of the year candidate for 2011.? Another positive is that both men are in their fighting primes, ages 23 and 26, and have shown a remarkable willingness to endure profuse physical punishment for the rights to call themselves ?Champion.? Nationalistic pride comes into play as well, with Concepcion traveling to Mexico in an attempt to turn the tables on a Marquez who unseated Concepcion at the hallowed Arena Roberto Duran in Panama.
