CONCEPCION, GESTA STOP FOES IN VEGAS BOUTS (WITH PHOTOS)
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 06 Oct 2007
LAS VEGAS -- Two Filipino fighters fashioned out stoppage victories here just two days before the much-awaited big fight between superstars Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera, giving Filipino fans a positive vibe going into the anticipated Philippines versus Mexico clash.
Promising superbantamweight prospect Bernabe Concepcion of the Aljoe Jaro Stable eked out a ninth-round technical knockout win over Salvador Garcia to put the Filipinos' campaign off to a hot start at a Top Rank-promoted card last night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino here.
In a fast-paced action fight, Concepcion proved to be the more conditioned fighter, finally stopping the Whittier, California-based Garcia at the 47-second mark of the ninth round.
"I am very happy for this win. I did have problems against my opponent in the beginning, but I soon found my rhythm and got a win," Concepcion said in an interview after the fight.
In the main event, WBO superfly champion Fernando Montiel knocked down Colombian challenger Luis Melendez in the sixth, picked himself up from the canvas in the seventh, before finally taking away the game challenger with a big body shot in the final round before referee Kenny Bayless called a halt of the fight.
"Are you happy with what you saw? I hope you're happy," Montiel told promoter Bob Arum right after the fight, at the same time asking the legendary promoter to give him a unification match against any of the other champions at the 115-lb division.
After the Montiel-Melendez bout, unbeaten Filipino Mercito 'Guerrero' Gesta took centerstage, defeating Carlos Vinan by TKO in the fourth round.
Gesta knocked down Vinan in the third, and stepped up his attack with a flurry of punches in the fourth that prompted referee Kenny Bayless to stop the fight.
The win improved Gesta's record to 12-0-1, 4 KO's, while Vinan dropped down to 7-5-3, 1 KO.
Concepcion vs Garcia:
Gesta vs Vinan:
All Photos by Dr. Ed de la Vega.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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