by ALEX P. VIDAL
LOS ANGELES, California – Team Concepcion is back here a day after Bernabe Concepcion blew away a chance to wrest the World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight diadem from champion Steve Luevano with a dismal seventh-round disqualification loss, August 15 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"I didn’t hear the bell. I was surprised when the referee declared me winner by disqualification," confessed the 21-year-old speedster from Virac, Catanduanes who impaired to 28 wins (16 knockouts) and three defeats.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum said there will be a rematch in December, "and I will do my best to capture the crown. There will be no foul blow, this time," said Concepcion, whose failed title bid against the 28-year-old Luevano, was his fifth appearance in Las Vegas.
Concepcion, who is partly managed by Manny Pacquiao, was trailing in two of the three score-cards, 67-64 (Luevano), 68-65 (Luevano),66-67 (Concepcion) when round seven expired.
Before the illegal punch was unloaded, Luevano (37-1, 15 KO’s) wobbled Concepcion with accurate rights and jabs. The five feet and seven inches tall southpaw from La Puente, California had secured the last four rounds after faltering in rounds one and two.
Concepcion, who fights for Aljoe Jaro stable in Binangonan, Rizal in the Philippines, was impressive in the first two rounds peppering the taller champion with hooks and effective shots to the body.
The five feet and four inches tall challenger digged into Luevano’s breadbasket and protected his slight lead in the second canto with crisp body shots.
There was initial confusion when referee Jay Nady raised Luevano’s hand after the dis-qualification as Con-cepcion’s cornermen leaped in frustration but simmered down after being chided by Nady whose verdict was upheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission which supervised the duel along with the WBO.
"It was not intentional but it was a good call," admitted Concepcion’s trainer Freddie Roach.
Concepcion is being groomed as "the next Manny Pacquiao" and was once lined up to challenge Puerto Rican phenom Juan Manuel Lopez underneath the Pacquiao-Oscar De La Hoya tussle on December 5, 2008.
His manager, Aljoe Jaro, however, rejected the "last-minute" invitation as Concepcion was moving up to the 128-lb category.
Jaro, who co-manages Concepcion, has predicted that his ward would become world champion before reaching 25.
The loss was over-shadowed by Nonito Donaire’s 12-round unani-mous decision victory over Rafael Concepcion for the World Boxing Association interim super flyweight championship. /MP
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