Concepcion Given June 9 Undercard Slot

By Rey Danseco
 
WBC youth super bantamweight champion Bernabe “Iron Man” Concepcion was informed of his undercard slot on Top Rank’s June 9 pay-per-view in New York after Catanduanes gave him a hero’s welcome recently.

Governor Leandro B. Verceles led the first welcome homecoming for the Filipino boxing champion on Wednesday.

Verceles and Concepcion  (21-3-1, 11 KOs) did a tiring motorcade ride that lasted the whole day in a pick-up vehicle from Virac, going around the 11 towns of the island province in Bicol Region.

“Maghapong motorcade, nakakapagod pero masaya,” said Concepcion’s manager Ailjoe Jaro upon his arrival yesterday afternoon at his home in Binangonan, Rizal.

Concepcion was left in his hometown of Viga, about 1 ½ drive from Virac, to be with his family while he heals the injury in his right hand. “Three days kami doon, VIP treatment ang dinanas ni Abe (Concepcion) at ng buong team.”

Verceles, according to Jaro, presented the 19-year old champion at Certificate of Recognition and 100,000 pesos as a reward for giving Catanduanes natives a reason to be proud after he defended the title against Houston’s Benjamin Flores with unanimous decision win over 10 rounds in the undercard of Pacquiao-Solis bout on April 14 at the Alamodome sa San Antonio, Texas.

Concepcion also received a million pesos from President Gloria Arroyo when he paid a courtesy call at Malacanang Palace upon his arrival along with Manny Pacquiao, who demolished Solis in the 8th round to defend the WBC International super featherweight title.

Top Rank matchmaker Bruce Trampler told Jaro that Concepcion will make his third fight under the Las Vegas-based boxing outfit at the Madison Square Garden where Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Angel Cotto faces American Zab Judah and Mexican Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto takes on Filipino fighter Bobby Pacquiao.

“Sabi ko sa Top Rank, dahil pinapagaling pa ang injury ni Abe, hintayin muna namin ang three weeks bago ko tanggapin ang offer,” said Jaro. “Di pa alam kung depensa o non-title (fight ang laban).”

Concepcion fought Flores with one hand after he injured his right knuckle after landing a hard punch to the head in the second round.