Tweet
MANILA, Philippines - More Filipino fighters are being lined up for world title shots and Manny Pacquiao is backing the effort to the max. That’s the word from MP Promotions boxing adviser Michael Koncz who flew in from Los Angeles last Wednesday to join the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter here until they leave for New York City tentatively on June 10.
Koncz said before flying over, he conferred with Top Rank chairman Bob Arum who confirmed that Mandaue’s Rodel Mayol will take on unbeaten WBO lightflyweight champion Ivan (Iron Boy) Calderon of Puerto Rico at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 13, Silay City’s Sonny Boy Jaro will face interim WBA lightflyweight titlist Giovanni Segura in Cancun, Mexico, on July 25 and Virac’s Bernabe Concepcion will meet WBO featherweight king Steven Luevano on Aug. 22 or 27 in either San Francisco or Las Vegas.
“MP Promotions is definitely on the move,” said Koncz. “Manny’s doing his best to give every opportunity for more Filipino fighters to become world champions. Now more than ever, you’ve got to believe Bob’s (Arum) prediction that someday, there will be as many as 10 Filipino world champions.”
At the moment, there are four Filipino world titleholders – WBO minimumweight Donnie Nietes, IBF lightflyweight Brian Viloria, IBF flyweight Nonito Donaire and IBO lightwelterweight Pacquiao.
Koncz said Pacquiao will be at ringside for Mayol’s third attempt to capture a world title. The night before, Pacquiao will receive the Boxer of the Year award from the Boxing Writers Association of America in New York City. Pacquiao’s other interest is to size up WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto who stakes his crown against Joshua Clottey in the main event of the Garden card. Cotto is in Arum’s radar as Pacquiao’s possible next opponent.
Mayol, 27, failed in previous bids to wrest the WBC minimumweight title from Eagle Kyowa in Tokyo in 2006 and the IBF lightflyweight diadem from Ulises Solis in 2007. But he’s won his last two outings and with Freddie Roach in his corner, the chances of a third strike are lower.
The problem is Calderon, who has beaten Filipinos Noel Tunacao and Ben Escobia, may be Mayol’s toughest opponent ever. Calderon, 34, has a 32-0 record, with six KOs compared to Mayol’s 25-3, with 19 KOs. The Puerto Rican’s lack of knockout power is an encouraging note for Mayol who won his first 22 bouts.
Jaro, 27, lost a decision to WBC 108-pound titleholder Edgar Sosa despite scoring a knockdown in Mexico City last year but he’s primed to get the job done this time against Segura.
Jaro’s manager Aljoe Jaro said yesterday he’s hoping to secure a US P-1 visa for the fighter.
“When Sonny fought Sosa, he had to fly 48 hours to Mexico City via ****kok and Frankfurt because he didn’t have a US visa,” said Jaro. “I don’t want that to happen again. My brother Warren could train Sonny at the Wild Card Gym before going to Cancun. Sonny couldn’t finish off Sosa but I think he’ll knock out Segura.”
Segura, 27, has a 20-1-1 record, with 16 KOs, and is coming off a fourth round stoppage of Cesar Canchila to win the interim WBA crown. Canchila had previously beaten Segura on points. The WBA champion Brahim Asloum of France has not defended his throne since winning the title in December 2007. Jaro’s record is 30-7-5, with 19 KOs He has won five of his last six outings, three by first round KO.
Jaro’s stablemate Concepcion was unimpressive in pounding out a six-round decision over Colombia’s late sub Yogli Herrera in the recent Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton undercard but he’s expected to step it up several notches against Luevano.
Concepcion was visibly disappointed he fought Herrera instead of Luevano who had pulled out due to an injury. But Aljoe Jaro said that’s not an excuse.
“If Abe fought Luevano the way he did against Herrera that night, he would’ve lost,” said Jaro. “Abe has the power to beat Luevano who is very talented. I respect his trainer Robert Garcia (who Viloria’s trainer) a lot. But if Abe’s focused, there’s no way he’ll lose to Luevano.”
Jaro said he will send both Sonny Boy Jaro and Concepcion to the Wild Card Gym so they can feed off each other’s energy.
“I’ll join them two weeks before they fight,” said Jaro. “There’s no problem with their skills. They just have to be motivated a little more. That’s my job. We owe this to Manny for making it happen. We don’t’ want to disappoint him.”
Luevano, 28, is making the fifth defense of the WBO crown he won via a knockout over Nicky Cook in London in 2007. His record is 36-1-1, with 15 KOs. Concepcion, 21, is unbeaten in his last 22 outings and has a record of 29-1-1, with 16 KOs.
Boxing News editor Claude Abrams described Concepcion as “an orthodox version of Pacquiao but without the fury and thunderous power.” In the fight against Herrera, Abrams said, “Stocky Concepcion lacked urgency even when he early closed Herrera’s left eye in the third and it didn’t look as if the Colombian would last if more punches struck the injured area ... instead, Concepcion preferred to box and move, sometimes too cautiously, stepping it up only in the last (round).”
Concepcion dropped to his knees in the first round after he was butted by Herrera.
“I got dizzy,” said Concepcion. “I didn’t want to come in close because I was afraid he would butt me again. Then, he kept moving away. That’s why I couldn’t knock him out. But against Luevano, it’ll be different.”
Koncz said before flying over, he conferred with Top Rank chairman Bob Arum who confirmed that Mandaue’s Rodel Mayol will take on unbeaten WBO lightflyweight champion Ivan (Iron Boy) Calderon of Puerto Rico at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 13, Silay City’s Sonny Boy Jaro will face interim WBA lightflyweight titlist Giovanni Segura in Cancun, Mexico, on July 25 and Virac’s Bernabe Concepcion will meet WBO featherweight king Steven Luevano on Aug. 22 or 27 in either San Francisco or Las Vegas.
“MP Promotions is definitely on the move,” said Koncz. “Manny’s doing his best to give every opportunity for more Filipino fighters to become world champions. Now more than ever, you’ve got to believe Bob’s (Arum) prediction that someday, there will be as many as 10 Filipino world champions.”
At the moment, there are four Filipino world titleholders – WBO minimumweight Donnie Nietes, IBF lightflyweight Brian Viloria, IBF flyweight Nonito Donaire and IBO lightwelterweight Pacquiao.
Koncz said Pacquiao will be at ringside for Mayol’s third attempt to capture a world title. The night before, Pacquiao will receive the Boxer of the Year award from the Boxing Writers Association of America in New York City. Pacquiao’s other interest is to size up WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto who stakes his crown against Joshua Clottey in the main event of the Garden card. Cotto is in Arum’s radar as Pacquiao’s possible next opponent.
Mayol, 27, failed in previous bids to wrest the WBC minimumweight title from Eagle Kyowa in Tokyo in 2006 and the IBF lightflyweight diadem from Ulises Solis in 2007. But he’s won his last two outings and with Freddie Roach in his corner, the chances of a third strike are lower.
The problem is Calderon, who has beaten Filipinos Noel Tunacao and Ben Escobia, may be Mayol’s toughest opponent ever. Calderon, 34, has a 32-0 record, with six KOs compared to Mayol’s 25-3, with 19 KOs. The Puerto Rican’s lack of knockout power is an encouraging note for Mayol who won his first 22 bouts.
Jaro, 27, lost a decision to WBC 108-pound titleholder Edgar Sosa despite scoring a knockdown in Mexico City last year but he’s primed to get the job done this time against Segura.
Jaro’s manager Aljoe Jaro said yesterday he’s hoping to secure a US P-1 visa for the fighter.
“When Sonny fought Sosa, he had to fly 48 hours to Mexico City via ****kok and Frankfurt because he didn’t have a US visa,” said Jaro. “I don’t want that to happen again. My brother Warren could train Sonny at the Wild Card Gym before going to Cancun. Sonny couldn’t finish off Sosa but I think he’ll knock out Segura.”
Segura, 27, has a 20-1-1 record, with 16 KOs, and is coming off a fourth round stoppage of Cesar Canchila to win the interim WBA crown. Canchila had previously beaten Segura on points. The WBA champion Brahim Asloum of France has not defended his throne since winning the title in December 2007. Jaro’s record is 30-7-5, with 19 KOs He has won five of his last six outings, three by first round KO.
Jaro’s stablemate Concepcion was unimpressive in pounding out a six-round decision over Colombia’s late sub Yogli Herrera in the recent Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton undercard but he’s expected to step it up several notches against Luevano.
Concepcion was visibly disappointed he fought Herrera instead of Luevano who had pulled out due to an injury. But Aljoe Jaro said that’s not an excuse.
“If Abe fought Luevano the way he did against Herrera that night, he would’ve lost,” said Jaro. “Abe has the power to beat Luevano who is very talented. I respect his trainer Robert Garcia (who Viloria’s trainer) a lot. But if Abe’s focused, there’s no way he’ll lose to Luevano.”
Jaro said he will send both Sonny Boy Jaro and Concepcion to the Wild Card Gym so they can feed off each other’s energy.
“I’ll join them two weeks before they fight,” said Jaro. “There’s no problem with their skills. They just have to be motivated a little more. That’s my job. We owe this to Manny for making it happen. We don’t’ want to disappoint him.”
Luevano, 28, is making the fifth defense of the WBO crown he won via a knockout over Nicky Cook in London in 2007. His record is 36-1-1, with 15 KOs. Concepcion, 21, is unbeaten in his last 22 outings and has a record of 29-1-1, with 16 KOs.
Boxing News editor Claude Abrams described Concepcion as “an orthodox version of Pacquiao but without the fury and thunderous power.” In the fight against Herrera, Abrams said, “Stocky Concepcion lacked urgency even when he early closed Herrera’s left eye in the third and it didn’t look as if the Colombian would last if more punches struck the injured area ... instead, Concepcion preferred to box and move, sometimes too cautiously, stepping it up only in the last (round).”
Concepcion dropped to his knees in the first round after he was butted by Herrera.
“I got dizzy,” said Concepcion. “I didn’t want to come in close because I was afraid he would butt me again. Then, he kept moving away. That’s why I couldn’t knock him out. But against Luevano, it’ll be different.”