CONCEPCION DECKS SPARRING PARTNER WITH BODY SHOT
By Alex P. Vidal
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 20 Jul 2008
LOS ANGELES, California -- With a week to go before facing dangerous Adam Carrera in a 10-round non-title scrapper underneath the Miguel Cotto versus Antonio Margarito world welterweight championship at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super bantamweight king Bernabe ?Kamaong Llave? Concepcion showed some sign of invincibility when he forced his George Gonzalez, his sparring partner to quit after being decked by a powerful body shot on Thursday at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
?Hindi na siya bumalik. Dapat may sparring pa kami ulit (He never came back for our next sparring session),? reported Concepcion, 20, who is eyeing his fifth straight win in the United States since he first campaigned here in 2006.
Concepcion (25-1, 14 KOs) uncorked three dizzying combinations to Gonzalez?s unguarded breadbasket in the fourth round, forcing the tall Mexican to backpedal and fall in the canvas. Thus the engagement was halted.
?Solid yung binitawan ko na kaliwa at yun ang naka dali sa kanya,? said the 20-year-old banger from Virac, Catanduanes who is among the popular mainstays in the Binangonan, Rizal-based Jaro Boxing Stable.
Trainer Freddie Roach admitted Gonzalez, a regular habitu? and sparring partner in the famous gym, was hurt. ?Concepcion is getting stronger and I think he will win by knockout,? said the 48-year-old foster father of World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao.
Roach said Concepcion is scheduled to have two more sparring sessions against another client as Gonzalez did not come back again for a scheduled sparring bout on Friday. He admitted Concepcion is ?getting better? but dismissed suggestions to pit him against WBC super bantamweight ruler Israel Vasquez who holds two spectacular victories over Rafael Marquez, brother of Juan Manuel Marquez.
However, WBC president Jose Sulaiman Chagnon had promised to give Concepcion a title shot next year ?if he continues on winning.? Sulaiman admitted he hasn?t seen the fight of Concepcion ?but I have heard a lot about him.?
Carrera (19-3, 8 KOs) nicknamed ?El Torito?, has been also revving up in Cathedral City, California where he is based. He is also eyeing a win over the Filipino buzzsaw in a hope to improve his ranking and shoot for the world title next year.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Alex P. Vidal.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
What's Three Pounds? The Collazo-Vayson Affair (Part II)
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Thu, 14 Aug 2025Don King Productions Announces October 4th Showdown Featuring No. 1 WBA Heavyweight Contender Michael Hunter Facing World Champion Kubrat Pulev
Thu, 14 Aug 2025Jayson Vayson Ready to Battle Oscar Collazo for WBO/WBA World Titles (Analysis)
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 14 Aug 2025Arab American boxing pride to be on display August 31st in Detroit
Thu, 14 Aug 2025What's Three Pounds? The Collazo-Vayson Affair
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Wed, 13 Aug 2025Requinto to fight against an Indian in Davao on Aug. 31
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 13 Aug 2025NU's Yana Emilou De Vera dominates U1700 Asian Amateur Chess Championships in Hongkong
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 13 Aug 2025Llover to defend OPBF title against former world champ
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 13 Aug 2025Cebuano Elmo Traya in Action in Brico Santig’s Aug 30 Show on DAZN
By Carlos Costa, Wed, 13 Aug 2025Jacamos is new PH Youth champ
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 13 Aug 2025FECOMBOX Unifies Boxing Commissions, Vows to Enhance Safety and Standards
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 13 Aug 202512-Time World Champion & Hall of Famer James Toney Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
Wed, 13 Aug 2025Maurice H. Goldner: Letting the Filipino Fist Speak for Itself
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Tue, 12 Aug 2025WBC Boxing Grand Prix Quarterfinals Set for Riyadh: 32 Fighters Vie for Glory
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Tue, 12 Aug 2025Awesome! Jayson Vayson In Fight of his Life Against Oscar Collazo for Unified WBO/WBA Minimumweight Titles Sep 20 on DAZN (Analysis)
By Carlos Costa, Tue, 12 Aug 2025