By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Promising Filipino super bantamweight Bernabe Concepcion battles undefeated Mexican Joksan “El Torito” Hernandez for the vacant WBC Youth Championship in San Diego, California on September 23.

Concepcion, ranked No.1 by the Games and Amusements in the Philippines is 18 years old and has an impressive record of 18-1-1 with 11 knockouts . He  is regarded as one of the best prospects among a number of young Filipinos considered potential future world champions including Rey “Boom Boom:” Bautista and OPBF champion Z “The Dream” Gorres.

Hernandez, on the other hand, is undefeated with 12 wins, 8 of them coming by way of knockouts and is also considered one of the finest prospects out of a growing roster of Mexican fighters several of whom continue to battle ring warriors from the Philippines in a growing fistic rivalry which fight fans in America enjoy.

Boxing promoter and manager Rex “Wakee” Salud,  a close friend and confidant of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao who informed Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today about the Concepcion title fight said his own  fighter, Philippine super featherweight champion Jimrex Jaca who clashes with WBO interim champion Juan Manuel Marquez on October 21 in El Paso, Texas has “nothing to lose” by fighting the classy Mexican who held Pacquiao to a controversial draw after being decked three times in the opening round.

Salud said he accepted the fight “because of the good purse” which is $50,000 or P2.5 million. Jaca, the 23 year old southpaw has a record of 26-2-1 with 12 KO’s while Marquez who is 33 years old has a record of 45-3-1 with 34 KO’s.

Salud said celebrated trainer Freddie Roach was also likely to get former WBC super flyweight champion Gerry Penalosa on the same card. Penalosa left for Los Angeles last Monday to continue training at Roach’s Wild Card Gym.