Rising star Bernabe Concepcion is being groomed to challenge IBF superbantamweight champion Steve Molitor of Canada in June or July but his manager Aljoe Jaro told The Star yesterday the Catanduanes prospect isn?t looking beyond a fight against Torrence (Dynamite) Daniels in Queretano, Mexico, on April 26.
Jaro said Top Rank boss Bob Arum has high hopes for Concepcion and wants trainer Freddie Roach to personally supervise his development at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
Concepcion, 20, is coming off a 12-round win by unanimous decision over Juan Ruiz in Guanajuato, Mexico, to retain his North American Boxing Federation 122-pound title last Feb. 9. It was his fourth straight and fifth overall win in the US since outpointing Joksan Hernandez in his Las Vegas debut two years ago.
Arum?s plan is to keep Concepcion busy in the ring and make him gain more experience before fighting for a world title. That means relocating to the US.
But after beating Ruiz, Concepcion begged to come home for a few weeks. He?s scheduled to return to Los Angeles this weekend.
Concepcion said he?s loveless so there?s no girlfriend to miss. He lives in Jaro?s home in Binangonan, Rizal.
?I know I?ll be gone a long time so I wanted to come home for a while before going back,? said Concepcion. ?This is my chance. Manny Pacquiao is my inspiration and I?m lucky that he lets me live in his apartment in Los Angeles.?
One of Pacquiao?s trainers Nonoy Neri was in Concepcion?s corner when he defeated Ruiz. Jaro was also in the corner.
?Although Abe wasn?t able to knock out Ruiz, he was impressive,? said Jaro. ?Ruiz is a veteran with a difficult style. But Abe had no problem beating him.?
The scores, however, were closer than Jaro seemed to infer. Judge Jorge Guerra had it 114-111 while the other judges Pablo Diaz and Jose Juan Guerra saw it both 114-112.
Concepcion?s previous victims in his US fights were Hernandez, Benjamin Flores, Gabriel Elizondo and Salvador Garcia. His biggest win was a fourth round stoppage of Elizondo for the vacant NABF title in Rosemont, Illinois, last August. Elizondo was floored in the third and a right-left combination finished him off in the fourth. It was only Elizondo?s third loss in 25 bouts. One of Elizondo?s victims was Glenn Donaire.
Jaro said he will join Concepcion for his fight against Daniels in Mexico. Daniels, 33, has won five of his last six and turned pro in 2004. His record is 10-3-1, with four KOs.
Concepcion?s record is 24-1-1, with 13 KOs. His only setback was to journeyman Mark Sales on a majority 10-round decision in Taguig three years ago. He has since been unbeaten in 16 bouts.
Michael Koncz, who arranges fights for Concepcion as Pacquiao?s adviser, said Concepcion has a huge upside but needs to do more work in the gym.
?There?s no question Bernabe has heart and guts,? said Koncz. ?But he?s still got a lot to learn. He?s got to work on his angles, use the jab more, fight off the ropes, know when to box, when to slug. He?ll get better with experience and Bob thinks he has great potential. Freddie will be working with him in the gym.?
Concepcion?s fight against Daniels will be in the undercard of the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-Michele Orlando bout. Chavez, Jr. is a six-foot lightmiddleweight with a 35-0-1 record, including 26 KOs.
Jaro said Molitor will be easy prey for Concepcion even as the Canadian is unbeaten with a 26-0 record, including 10 KOs. Molitor, 27, is 5-7 and three inches taller than Concepcion. He won the IBF crown on a fifth round stoppage of Michael Hunter in England two years ago. Molitor has so far repulsed three challengers, including Pacquiao KO victim Fahsang 3-K Battery.
Jaro said with IBF minimumweight champion Florante Condes leaving his stable, he can now concentrate on Concepcion and his other prospects Sonny Boy Jaro and Richard Olisa.
Sonny Boy Jaro, 25, is the Philippine lightflyweight champion and is fresh from scoring a first round knockout over Alfred Nagal. His target is the IBF title now held by Edgar Sosa of Mexico. Olisa saw action in nine fights last year. The highlights of his hectic schedule were a second round knockout over Devid Lookmahamak in Thailand and a third round disposal of former Philippine champion Edgar Rodrigo. Olisa is being lined up to challenge WBO superflyweight champion Fernando Montiel.
Jaro said in preparing for Ruiz, Concepcion did early morning jogs with Pacquiao every day.
?Abe kept in pace with Manny,? said Jaro. ?He never got left behind. Manny is working very hard. He?s very serious in his training. He won?t allow his trainer to hold him back. Manny is a good influence on Abe who?s learning a lot from his idol.?
