By Ronnie Nathanielsz
After weeks of waiting, the opponent of North American Boxing Federation super bantamweight champion Bernabe Concepcion has been named.
Boxrec reported that the 20-year-old Concepcion who has an impressive record of 25-1-1 with 14 knockouts and is nicknamed “The Real Deal” will face 25 year old Adam “El Torito” Carrera who has a record of 19-3 with 8 knockouts.
The Concepcion-Carrera bout will be on the undercard of the eagerly anticipated welterweight battle between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 26.
Dr. Allan Recto who is a World Boxing Council ringside physician will serve as cutman when Aljoe Jaro’s find takes on Carrera.
Carrera, according to boxrec.com lost by a third round knockout in his last fight against hard-hitting Juan Carlos Burgos on August 24 last year but had earlier scored a ten round unanimous decision over tough Juan Ruiz who gave Concepcion a hard time when the promising Filipino successfully defended his NABF title last February 9.
Boxing writer David Avila reported that Carrera who is from Cathedral City, California “fought a phone booth war” with rugged Juan “The Phoenix” Ruiz. Avila said the much taller Carrera battled inside against the bull-like rushes of Ruiz and was able to sustain a high-energy attack that slowly overwhelmed the shorter boxer (Ruiz).”
In his last fight Concepcion scored a second round TKO over former US Olympic Games alternate Torrence Daniels on April 26.
Concepcion won the NABF vacant 122 pound title with a fourth round TKO over highly touted Gabriel Elizondo on August 4 last year. But Carrera cannot be underestimated because he has big wins over such tough opponents as Gerardo Espinoza and Julio Gamboa.
