ROACH COMMENDS CONCEPCION FOR A GREAT FINISH
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 30 Sep 2008
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach has commended North American Boxing Federation super bantamweight champion Bernabe Concepcion for ?a great finish? in knocking out tough Mexican Giovanni Caro in the eighth round last Sunday at the Sycuan Resort and Casino in El Cajon, California.
In an overseas telephone conversation with www.insidesports.ph, Manila Standard and Viva Sports from his famed Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, Roach said Concepcion ?really had to suck it up against a tough, tough guy and it was a great worth of experience,? for the young prospect.
Roach said the doctor wanted to stop the fight but Concepcion said ?no I am okay? even though his eye was cut and almost completely shut. Roach said ?he had to go out and knock the guy out and with the first five-punch combination he threw he knocked him out cold. A great finish.?
Roach said Concepcion still has some way to go before he fights for a world title saying ?he?s developing, his getting better and better but he?s a little bit of a slow starter . He?s got to be a little bit quicker and at a faster pace.
The trainer of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao who staged his first and very successful promotion in the US said junior welterweight Dennis Laurente who also won by a 7th round TKO over Arturo Urena who failed to come out for the 8th round , was ?a very good prospect. I like Dennis. He?s a good kid too.?
Laurente is managed by Johnny Elorde, one of the sons of the late great world junior lightweight champion and Hall-of-Famer Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde.
Ensuring a clean sweep for the Philippines against Mexico, former world light flyweight champion Brian Viloria pounded out a comfortable unanimous decision over Javier Lagos in an eight round bout which served as a tune-up for Viloria?s title fight against IBF champion Ulises Solis in Macau on December 13.
Top photo: Concepcion (R) tags Caro with a right during their bout last Thursday in El Cajon, CA. Photo by Miguel Salazar.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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