'ABE IS READY FOR A WORLD TITLE FIGHT'
By Alex P. Vidal
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 29 Jul 2008
LAS VEGAS, Nevada ? Filipino promoter and manager Aljoe Jaro has clarified that when he stated that North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super bantamweight champion Bernabe ?Kamaong Llave? Concepcion (26-1, 15 KOs) was ?hinog na hinog na (ripe)? for world championship, he was basing his remarks on the scintillating performance of his ward last Saturday when he knocked out Adam Carrera in the third round of a scheduled 10-round non-title fight at the MGM Grand Arena here.
?I will stand by my word: Abe (Bernabe Concepcion) is ready for the world title fight,? Jaro, owner of the fabled Jaro Boxing Stable in Binangonan, Rizal in the Philippines, said. ?But his readiness does not mean that he will fight for the world title now or tomorrow. Of course, he still has to pass the proverbial eye of the needle. He still has to surpass another test before we will book him for the biggest fight of his career.?
Jaro said he issued this clarification ?so as not to disabuse the minds of those who still doubt Abe?s capability to fight for the crown even if he has been on the winning binge.?
Jaro admitted that they still need to fine tune some of Concepcion?s weaponry and that includes his defense and volume of punches. In his fight against Carrera (19-4, 8 KOs), Concepcion threw only a total of 105 punches and connected 42 of them, while Carrera connected 19 of his total of 136 punches.
Carrera also threw more jabs (67 connecting only four) compared to Concepcion?s 58 with 14 connections.
Jaro co-manages Concepcion?s affairs with Michael Koncz and World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao. They plan to give Concepcion another 10-round non-title assignment on Sept. 27 in San Diego, California to be promoted by MP Promotion before entering into negotiation for him to fight for the world title.
Meanwhile, Concepcion said after the fight with Carrera, he will remain in Pacquiao?s apartment at the Palazzo in Park La Brea East in Los Angeles and might not go home in the Philippines. He will only go home if there is offer for him to do a TV commercial and ?the price is right,? he said.
?Dahil pag umuwi ako gagastos lang naman ako doon eh. So mas mabuti kung dito nalang muna ako pansamantala habang naghihintay sa sunod kung laban, sabi ni Kuya Manny (I will have to spend more if I?m going back to the Philippines, so Manny Pacquiao advised me to stay for awhile in his apartment while preparing for my next fight),? Concepcion said.
Meanwhile, trainer Danny Halibas said they are willing to provide Concepcion moral support in his next fight in San Diego. ?San Diego is an ideal venue dahil maraming mga Filipino doon. Segurado they will come in hordes to cheer for Concepcion,? said Halibas, a former arnis champion from Iligan City in the southern Philippines.
Top photo: Bernabe Concepcion (R) stands at a neutral corner as Referee Joe Cortez administers the count on Adam Carrera during the Concepcion-Carrera fight last Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Photo by Alex Vidal.
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