Bernabe “The Real Deal” Concepcion would have to display more than what he did in his Feb. 14 title eliminator fight against Mario Santiago if he wants to snatch the WBO featherweight crown from Juan Manuel Lopez in June.
This was the assessment of friend and PR man Sean “Boyax” Lim, who were among those who met Concepcion when he arrived from the United States last Thursday (Feb. 18).
There was a definite improvement in Abe’s performance in the non-title bout against Puerto Rican Santiago, whom he knocked down in the 6th round. “But Abe’s punches still lacked timing, which he would need when he faces Lopez,” Lim stressed.
He also noted that in the Santiago bout, Abe still had a tendency to punch after the bell, causing some fans to wonder if Concepcion had a hearing problem. In his last title fight for the featherweight crown, he went after Steven Luevano after the bell rang, knocking him out but resulting in the Catanduanes boxer’s disqualification.
Concepcion arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport some five hours behind schedule after PAL flight PR-105 suffered a technical glitch that forced it to go back to Guam. He was met by his brother-trainer, DOTC Assistant Secretary Cesar V. Sarmiento, Lim and members of the Jaro boxing gym, Tribune publisher Fernan Gianan, and boxing fans.
At the press conference that followed, Concepcion thanked the Filipino people for his victory, especially his kababayans in Catanduanes who have always fully supported him.
“Hindi naman ako nahirapan kay Santiago,” he said, admitting that he got caught by a barrage of punches in the last round from Santiago after he agreed to his opponent’s dare to go all out.
He said he trained hard for the fight, with his routines supervised by none other than Manny Pacquiao’s trainer, Buboy Fernandez. “Nagtraining kami tatlong oras sa umaga at apat na oras sa hapon,” Abe disclosed.
“Para sa laban kay Juanma, kailangan ko ng mas mabilis na footwork, mas maraming suntok at siyempre lakas at tibay,” the Rizal, Viga-born boxer stressed. The title bout has been scheduled for June 20 but a contract has yet to be signed while the venue has yet to be determined, whether in Las Vegas or in Juanma’s Puerto Rico. Abe, however, said that he would leave for the United States in April to start training for the Juanma bout.
Queried as to his thoughts on the fate of Z Gorres, who still owes hundred of thousands of dollars to a US hospital for treatment of brain damage, Concepcion agreed that boxers need to have higher insurance, a matter which he said should be taken care of by promoters.
Concepcion, who now weighs 138 pounds just a week after his fight, said that he would probably fight in weight classes as high as 140 pounds but is not exactly sure as he is no longer growing, drawing laughter from Manila media and fans.
“Hindi ko pa alam kung kailan ako makakauwi sa Catanduanes,” he said, as he needs to do some shopping at the Duty Free Philippines and rest for a while. A source, however, said it could be in the first two weeks of March, with his arrival to be marked by a parade around Virac poblacion and courtesy calls on Mayor Santos Zafe and Governor Joseph Cua, with an even warmer welcome in his native Viga.
