CONCEPCION WINS BY 8TH ROUND KO IN BLOODY BRAWL
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 26 Sep 2008
World rated North American Boxing Federation super bantamweight champion Bernabe Concepcion scored an 8th round knockout victory over tough Mexican champion Giovanni Caro in the main event of a highly successful promotional debut by Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao?s MP Promotions at the Sycuan Resort and Casino in El Cajon, California.
Pacquiao?s lawyer Franklin ?Jeng? Gacal called www.insidesports, Manila Standard and Viva Sports to relay the good news but said for a moment they were ?scared that the ring physician (Dr. Bear Gamboa) would stop the fight? because Concepcion?s left eye was almost swollen shut because of a cut on the eyelid.
The doctor examined Concepcion after the referee stopped the bout when Concepcion connected with a low blow and he gave the Mexican time to recover. Gacal said Pacquiao ?called out Bernabe and was pointing to his heart? during the lull as though to tell him to demonstrate the same kind of courage that Pacquiao is famous for in the ring.
Gacal said that when the fight resumed Concepcion ?just went crazy and threw a succession of brutal punches? to send the Mexican crashing to the canvas to be counted out at 2:35 of round eight.
Gacal said Pacquiao was very pleased not merely with the results in which the Filipinos scored a clean sweep but the success of his first promotion where Filipinos showed up in large numbers.
Well known Dr. Allan Recto who is a respected WBC ring physician in an overseas telephone conversation with us from the dressing room of Concepcion said that at the time of the stoppage Concepcion was leading on the scorecards of two of the three judges 77-75 and 80-72 while a third judge scored it 77-75 for Caro.
Dr. Recto said Concepcion was ?bothered by the cut but he was okay? and when the ring physician examined the cut they asked the doctor not to stop the fight because Concepcion was okay. Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach worked the corner while Dr. Recto served as cutman.
The doctor said that when Roach asked Concepcion ?to throw combinations he would do so? and said that after the cut he was actually ?coming back.?
Former WBC light flyweight champion Brian Viloria got a much-needed workout in an eight round unanimous decision over Javier Lagos in preparation for his IBF title fight against champion Ulises Solis in Macau on December 6.
Junior welterweight Dennis Laurente scored a 7th round TKO over Arturo Urena when the Mexican failed to come out for the round due to a cut under his right eye.
With the win Concepcion improved to 27-1 with 16 knockouts while Caro dropped to 11-5-4, 9 knockouts. Viloria is now 24-2, 13 knockouts and Laurente 30-3, 16 knockouts. Mercito Gesta who was scheduled to fight on the card was bitterly disappointed after his opponent reportedly pulled out at the last minute.
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