MANILA, Philippines – The only way Bernabe Concepcion can win over WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano is for the Virac, Catanduanes challenger to fight like Manny Pacquiao.
That?s how Concepcion?s manager Aljoe Jaro sized up his winnability in the 12-round title fight set at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Aug. 15.
?I think it?s 50-50,? said Jaro yesterday. ?Luevano is a smart fighter, a former junior Olympic champion. He throws a lot of punches. He?s a little brittle but when he goes down, he gets up. He?s not a hard hitter but he?s hard to hit because of his footwork. If he thinks he?s up against a strong puncher, he?ll fight from a distance. If he thinks he can take his opponent?s power, he?ll engage.?
Jaro said Concepcion must pressure Luevano, pin him down and don?t give him a chance to breathe like Pacquiao does to his opponents in the ring.
?Abe has a good chance but he?s got to be serious in his training,? said Jaro. ?This is his time. He can become the next Filipino world champion. But he has to fight with heart.?
Concepcion, 21, left for Los Angeles last Friday and has started to train at the Wild Card Gym under Freddie Roach.
?Abe has no interest to train here,? said Jaro. ?He only wants to train with Freddie. That?s okay. It?s up to him. I?m happy if he?s happy. My problem is he wasn?t trained properly for his last fight and I was disappointed with his showing. I hope Freddie is able to concentrate on training Abe this time. With Freddie in his corner, I know Abe?s in good hands.?
Last May, Concepcion was unimpressive in pounding out a unanimous six-round decision over Colombia?s Yogli Herrera in Las Vegas. He fell to the canvas after a collision of heads in the first round and fought cautiously the rest of the way. Herrera was a substitute for Luevano who backed out of the bout due to an injury.
Jaro said he observed Concepcion?s last day of sparring before the Herrera fight and noticed a lack of purpose in his movements.
?Abe looked terrible in sparring and got clobbered,? said Jaro. ?I asked (Michael) Moorer who was in charge of training Abe and everyone in the gym started pointing fingers. I think he wasn?t properly trained because the focus of attention was on Manny. Now, Abe?s fighting for the world title so I?m hoping Freddie himself will take care of him.?
Luevano, 28, is making the fifth defense of the WBO crown he won via an 11th round knockout over Nicky Cook two years ago. His record is 36-1-1, with 15 KOs. Luevano has encountered rough sailing in his defenses. He was floored before decisioning Thailand?s Terdsak Jandaeng and drew with Mario Santiago after being decked.
Against Concepcion, Luevano?s trainer Robert Garcia said he?s confident of winning. ?It?ll be a great fight,? said Garcia who also trains IBF lightflyweight champion Brian Viloria. ?But Steven has too many skills and is too quick for Concepcion. Even as I think it?ll be a great fight, it?ll be a walk in the park for Steven.?
Concepcion hasn?t lost in his last 22 fights. His record is 29-1-1, with 17 KOs.
Jaro said he will accompany another prot?g? Sonny Boy Jaro in challenging WBA lightflyweight champion Giovanni Segura in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, on July 25, fly back to Manila then join Concepcion in Los Angeles two weeks before the Luevano fight.
Two other Filipinos will see action in the Hard Rock card. Nonito Donaire takes on Panama?s Rafael Concepcion for the interim WBA superflyweight crown while welterweight Mark Jason Melligen faces Mexico?s Michel (El Bravo) Rosales.
Rafael Concepcion, 27, has won 10 of his last 11 bouts with the only loss to Mexico?s Jorge Arce last September. The Panamanian came from behind to stop A. J. Banal in Cebu last year. He is coming off two wins in a row over former world champion Kermin Guardia and Emerson Nisperusa.
