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Concepcion “Missing” in Las Vegas PhilBoxing.com Thu, 13 Aug 2009 LAS VEGAS—During Wednesday’s press conference of the Pinoy Power 2 showdown at the Hard Rock Caf?, the main supporting bout’s other protagonist Bernabe Concepcion was a no-show as he was reportedly still in Los Angeles. Concepcion, who still needs to acclimatize and honor his obligations to the boxing promotion, being part of the Pinoy-powered road show, will have his hands full against champion Steven Luevano on Saturday. They fight for the WBO featherweight title. In the biggest fight of his life, Concepcion still has to travel for more than four hours around the wee hours of Thursday morning and settle down in Las Vegas while all fighters have already started to adapt to the hot and dry weather here. “He is still waiting for his manager Michael Koncz to arrive from the Philippines,” said a Wild Card secretary named Marie, claiming that Top Rank Inc. officials have been looking for Concepcion in Las Vegas and have been calling the gym as to his whereabouts. Headliners Nonito Donaire and Rafael Concepcion answered questions hurled by the media yesterday while it was just Luevano who answered most of the questions concerning his fight. A check with Philippine Airlines’s schedule indicated that Koncz would be arriving Los Angeles at 8 PM Wednesday and for a few more hours, he would meet up with Concepcion and his team. It was reported that Team Concepcion will have to travel deep in the night to finally reach Las Vegas. Marie was quoted as to have communicated with Koncz who was still in Manila late Tuesday and Koncz was quoted to have rudely said that she should just mind her own business because she is not Concepcion’s manager. Koncz doubles as Manny Pacquiao’s adviser and is seen always tagging along with the Filipino multi-weight champion. Aljoe Jaro, Concepcion’s other registered manager, was already in Las Vegas waiting for his ward and expressed dismay over his boxer’s non-presence. He was also concerned about his pupil’s over-all condition when he fights the sleek and speedy Luevano. Recently, in another sad incident, Koncz was the same person who brokered for Filipino Juanito Rubillar to fight for the world title of Giovanni Segura in Mexico. Koncz, who also represented Sonny Boy Jaro, the original challenger to Segura’s crown, apparently failed to secure visa requirements for Jaro. It was Koncz who looked for immediate replacements including an out-of-shape Rodel Mayol and landed Rubillar. In a sudden twist of fate, it was also Koncz who threw in the towel on Rubillar, who lost his bid to become a world champion anew after several tries. A review of the tape indicated that Rubillar was in no danger of losing the fight by a knockout when Koncz stopped the fight from his seat as an spectator. Surprisingly, Segura was already tiring when the fight was stopped. That moved was a complete slap on the faces of Rubillar’s corner which included veteran and former champion Erbito Salavarria, who was completely surprised and dumbfounded by Koncz’s action and authority to stop a fight. Technically, Koncz was not allowed to throw in the towel because he was not part of the corner and was just a matchmaker. Top photo: Bernabe Concepcion (R) with Filipino manager Aljoe Jaro in a file photo. |
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