Manny Pacquiao-managed, Bernabe Concepcion (28-5-1, 15 KOs) dropped a shocking split decision at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada to journeyman, and loser of seven of his last ten, Juan
Carlos Martinez (19-12-1, 7 KOs).
Concepcion, the former world title challenger who was coming into the contest after being stopped in two rounds by Juan Manuel Lopez in his last bout, started the contest flat and allowed the underdog from San Luis, Potasi, Mexico to sweep the first several rounds of the scheduled eight rounder.
Martinez worked up and down and moved in and out, looking much better and sharper than his record would indicate. While the much more talented Concepcion coasted and gave up rounds, much to the dismay of trainer, Freddie Roach.
Around the sixth round, Concepcion began to move his hands a bit more and started landing with some solid shots that failed to shake the energized underdog.
In the eighth and final round, urged on by a desperate corner, Concepcion failed to deliver the knockout or knockdown that he needed to win the contest.
Surprisingly, the judges were divided on the decision with one scoring the bout 77-75 in favor of the Filipino featherweight. However, the other judges were more in touch with reality, coring the contest 78-74 and 77-75 in favor of Martinez.
The loss essentially removes Concepcion from the jam-packed featherweight division and indicates a need to get back in the gym while working on his psyche, now coming off two losses in a row.
Could this be the first of two major upsets for Fiilipino fight fans in Las Vegas over the weekend?
