Concepcion's Injury Keeps Him From 6/9 Card

By Rey Danseco

REIGNING World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth super bantamweight champion Bernabe “Iron Man” Concepcion has lost an opportunity to see action in another big boxing card due to his right-hand injury.

Top Rank matchmaker Bruce Trampler offered Concepcion a slot on their June 9 card at the Madison Square Garden in New York where Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Angel Cotto and Filipino fighter Bobby Pacquiao faces American Zab Judah and Mexican Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto, respectively.

Concepcion received the offer after he defended his title for the first time with unanimous decision win against Houston’s Benjamin Flores in the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s demolition of previously unbeaten Jorge Solis of Mexico on April 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Concepcion’s self-imposed 3-week deadline lapsed recently. But Arum told Concepcion to prepare for a possible scheduled bout, a title defense or possibly for the vacant United States Boxing Association crown, sometime in July.

With this development, the 19-year resident of Binangonan in Rizal province plans to leave for Hollywood sometime later this month. When in the United States, he trains at the Wild Card Gym where the number of Filipino fighters prepares for their big fights.

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

Concepcion has a 21-3-1 record with 11 knockouts and considered better than the 20-year old Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista.

Since last year, Concepcion has wanted to fight Bautista (23-0, 17 KOs). His handlers initially offered a significant purse, but Bautista’s handlers refused to risk, knowing Concepcion might be better than the more popular boxer from Bohol.