By Jake Donovan
In what should undoubtedly carry Fight of the Year implications, unbeaten super flyweight titlist Carlos Cuadras has agreed to terms for a spring showdown with former flyweight champ Luis Concepcion.
The bout will take place at a location to be determined in Mexico, likely to take place in mid-to-late March.
“The two sides have agreed on all conditions. We are just wrapping up the final date and venue,” confirmed Oswaldo Küchle of Promociones del Pueblo, Cuadras’ promoter.
Televisa will air the bout live as part of its Sabado de Corona series. Barring exclusive network rights, the feed will likely be picked up by TVMax-9 in Concepcion’s native Panama as well.
Cuadras (31-0, 25KOs) will make the third defense of the super flyweight title he won last May with a technical decision over visiting Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand. The bout was stopped after eight ronds, when Cuadras was unable to continue after a clash of heads left him with a deep cut over his left eye.
His first defense ended in similar fashion, this time with challenger and countryman Jose Salgado suffering an injury. Because the fight ended inside of four rounds, the bout was declared a technical draw, although Cuadras was well ahead on all three scorecards.
A return to knockout ending came in Cuadras’ most recent appearance, stopping Marvin Mabait in six rounds last December. The bout served as part of a charity event in Washington D.C., marking Cuadras’ first-ever appearance outside of Mexico.
Concepcion (32-3, 23KOs) has only fought once before in Mexico—and outside of Panama. The night was the worst of his professional career, suffering three knockdowns en route to a 1st round knockout loss to Hernan ‘Tyson’ Marquez in their Oct. ’11 rematch.
The two had engaged in a hellacious war the prior April, trading knockdowns before Concepcion was stopped in the 11th round of one of the best fights in 2011. He’s since won nine straight, including a 7th round stoppage of Duvan Hernandez last August to become Cuadras’ mandatory challenger.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
