Bernabe Concepcion Courtesy: Top Rank Boxing/Chris Farina
Bernabe Concepcion is in for the challenge of his life this weekend against Puerto Rican superstar JuanMa Lopez as he aims to capture the WBO featherweight belt this Saturday in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
I caught up with 'The Real Deal' who is currently in Puerto Rico right now together with his brother Bernard and trainers Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri as well as boxer Eden Sonsona who is also scheduled to fight in the card.
Concepcion revealed that he has had a better training camp for this fight than his last one and is ready to put forth a valiant effort as he hopes to score an upset over the highly touted Lopez.
Check out my conversation with Concepcion below:
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DG - How are you doing Abe? How's your conditioning and training?
Bernabe Concepcion - I'm doing good. How about you? How are you doing? Sorry about the last time in Vegas. I was just starving and haven't eaten because of the weigh-in when I was trying to make the weight that's why I wasn't smiling much.
DG - No problem, I understand how hard that is for a fighter. What have you been up to since that last fight against Mario Santaiago in Pinoy Power 3?
Bernabe Concepcion - After that last fight, I hung out with Nonito Donaire Jr. and Mark Melligen a little bit and we did our rounds and I visited my relatives. I have also been playing basketball regularly and was training at a gym in Quezon City even when I didn't know when I was fighting next.
DG - What problems do you see in JuanMa's style that might pose problems for you and how do you plan to solve them?
Bernabe Concepcion - JuanMa is a very good boxer. He's strong and he constantly punches and that's why he is on top right now, but we have prepared for him and I do have Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri on my side.
DG - What do you think your advantage is against JuanMa and what holes have you seen in his fighting style that you might want to exploit?
Bernabe Concepcion - They say I hit harder although I punch less but they're quality punches.
DG - There are some people that are saying that you might not be ready to face JuanMa yet. What can you say about that?
Bernabe Concepcion - JuanMa is definitely a good fighter and I do want to come in as the underdog because that just inspires me to train harder. That's my inspiration and I appreciate the fans' concern. The most important thing is for them to support me and pray that all of the fighters not just myself, stay safe from any permanent injury so we can all still continue boxing after.
DG - You are fighting in JuanMa's backyard. Are you worried that you might fall victim to some home cooking or yet the short end of the stick if the fight goes the distance? Do you think you should go for a knockout?
Bernabe Concepcion - The only thing I really worry about is that I won't be able to attend our worship and go to our church in Puerto Rico. The venue is far away from our place of worship so some of our brothers and sisters in the INC won't be able to join us that's why they're left in California. Let's just hope and pray that the judges would do their jobs honestly and that they'd continue to be blessed in their profession.
DG - What are the things you are working on now for this fight?
Bernabe Concepcion - We're strengthening my jaw (laughing) and working hard to make my body tougher. I am also trying to increase my punching power.
DG - What can you say about your mentor Manny Pacquiao and his congressional win? Do you think he will be a good public servant?
Bernabe Concepcion - Congratulations Kuya Manny!!! I'm happy that he won because that's really what he wants. Manny is good at everything he gets into because he just doesn't get into it, he really tries to be the best at it. Will he be a good politician? I think his dream is to be a really good public servant and guide the community, but he also needs to be careful with the people he surrounds himself with because they can influence his success as a politician and also his failure. I always have him in my prayers that he may achieve success in his new career.
DG - Last but not the least, what do you want to tell your fans and message to our readers?
Bernabe Concepcion - Thank you so much to everyone for your concern. This has been a very good training camp for me thanks to Kuya Buboy, Kuya Manny and the guidance and care of Kuya Nonoy and Team Pacquiao together with Team Concepcion as well as my sponsors who have been there for me always.
Please watch my fight this Saturday on Showtime and ABS-CBN. You will also see another world champion World Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight interim champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire Jr. and somebody who I always train with in Team Pacquiao Camp, Eden Sonsona this Saturday July 10 9pm ET, 6PM PT (California), It’s SHOWTIME!!
DG - Thank you Abe! Good Luck!
Bernabe Concepcion - You're welcome. Thank you.
Dennis 'dSource' Guillermo is a freelance sportswriter. You can contact him through e-mail at dennisguillermo2@yahoo.com
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Comments
very nice guy in abe,stay focus listen to ur corner always. punch intelligently and punch him harder. u can do it my friend dnt listen to the so called expert opinions dat u cant defeat juanma dats wat they say when manny fought barrera.juanma s beatable...go pinoy!!!!
goodluck wanabe.................go for k.o.
Luevano was a tougher customer for Abe Concepcion but chose to win the fight by acting like a kid, too scared to continue when he felt the venom of Abe. How Lopez can survive Abe's 1 deadly solid single punch will tell the outcome of this fight.
bernabe hope you have a good plan, cuz im sure lopez has studied all your fights. he knows you start slow and steady along the way he will capitalize this.
why not stun the world and come out insanely hungry for a knock out, that should put a wrench in his plans. you gotta come prepared and unpredictable good luck abe.
Rough him up Abe! Use your strength and punching power. Be first. Dont let him tee off, keep a tight defense. Finish him in the later rounds, he will gas out. Good luck... kayang kaya mo yan pare!
Good luck and pray hard abe that the power and will of the almighty will be with you always.
Abe...remember your Youtube video...
You're Firing an Automatic M4 rifle? Thats the kind of punches you should use to JuanMa...Multiple punches!
Not that 9mm Handgun with a longclip you're firing that keeps on Jamming! You will loose to Juanma if you pick your punches because he's a good boxer! You got to hit him with barrage of punches!
Good Luck to you Abe.
i love being knocked down by pacquiao and if our third fight does happen i want to be like hatton!!!
sundin u lng coach u mana2lo ka, wag ka magsariling diskarte..
Avoid JuanMa's early assaults,he'll try for an early ko.Counter with precise left hooks and right straights.Be patient,box,box and use your footwork.He might run out of gas by the 9th and you deliver your strong punches at this point.KO him but before the fight,pray solemnly,God will be with you and will give you strength.
side to side movement abe,lopez will be frustrated,good luck!
babie concepcion will put makeup and lipstick on juanma's face.
abe has the skills and power. the will i think as well is there. i just don't know if he has the right attitude when he is in the ring. his fight with luevano is the worst that i've seen. he didn't commit, didn't gamble, and as such didn't connect. but i do hope that this time he'll do what he is suppose to do, PUNCH. as Pinoys, let us support abe.
pagurin mo muna sa early rounds,depensa muna, pag na pagod na saka mo na ilabas lahat ng lakas, at style o killer instinc. good luck abe.
Bai Abe,
Ayaw jud pag kumpyansa, keep thinking, and try not to get frustrated. Good luck bai!
just b urself abe fight with all of yur heart my heart says youl gonna win but my mind says i dont think so hehehe peace
press him hard, punch him really hard, and most of all beat his stamina! go go go! d real deal!!
in boxing there is an upset! try to knock him down in the first round make him feel your punches and he will forget his fight plan! if you after 3 rounds try to defend yourself and box a little reserved your stamina up to 8 and a round 9 to 12 pressure him....
knock him out and let his team throw the towel and do your celebration.
Always watch Juanma's left hand. Good luck Abe. I'll be watching your fight. Btw, good luck to Nonito too.
I doubt sometimes with ur capabilty abe! But who knows your lucky punch will do d talkin'. I'll bet my house for d sake that u will win this fight with juan manuel lopez, we all knows the superiority of this boxer so be good on d night to fight juan manuel. but if u have d faith just like a mustard seed with d Almighty God i hope u will surely win this fight.
GOOD LUCK ABE!!! HOPE YOU WON'T BE BRANDED AS STEROID USER SHOULD YOU KNOCK OUT THE FAVORED JUANMA LOPEZ.
GOD BE WITH YOU ON FIGHT NIGHT.
ENTRUST EVERYTHING TO THE LORD. JUST DO YOUR BEST AND GOD WILL TAKE CARE FOR THE REST.
WIN OR LOSE WE'RE STILL BE PROUD OF YOU ALL PINOY WARRIORS.
Filipinos already proven the world...its ok to be an underdog. Abe just keep in mind that every punch you will throw, the entire Filipino nation was always there for you. To my idol Nonito:"Kulataha gyud ug maajo imong kalaban Doy"...
oh my God, hindi makakasamba si brod. abe sa pueto rico that means makakapalya sya s pgsamba. terrible choice abe!
ipospone ang laban dhil ndi sya makakasamba. mas mahalaga ang Dios kesa kayamanan at karangalan
1. The last boxer who raised the issue of "hometown decision" in PR got knocked-out convincingly. Here we are again making pronouncements that the host won't take kindly to....
2. Be prepared to lose on points. Unless...
"Bernabe Concepcion - They say I hit harder although I PUNCH LESS but they're quality punches."
Papaano kung hindi ka swertihen tumama?
3. You haven't addressed the issue of conditioning in the interview. Hmmmm...
I'll still go for Juanma.
oh my God, hindi makakasamba si brod. abe sa pueto rico that means makakapalya sya s pgsamba. terrible choice abe!
ipospone ang laban dhil ndi sya makakasamba. mas mahalaga ang Dios kesa kayamanan at karangalan
Abe goodluck and wish you all the best.. Hope you'll knock out and win the title for the Filipino people... Mabuhay!!!
abe sana dagdagan mo pa ang pagbira mo.. kagaya nung naguumpisa ka pa lang.. sana wag kang tamaringsumuntok.. bira lang ng bira.. at medyo sayaw ng kunti.. ng.....
HALA BIRA!! HALA BIRA!! HALA BIRA!!
MABUHAY ANG LAHING PINOY!!!
ABE GOT THIS MANG!!!
Abe, lagi mong isa-isip na lumalaban ka sa bayan mismo ng dinadakila nilang kampeon. Malakas siya, matibay, mautak at halos lahat ng pisikal na aspeto ay lamang siya. Huwag padadaig o masisindak. Katulad ni Pacquiao, unahin mo ang Panginoon sa paraang ialay sa kanya ang iyong laban. Gawin mo ang lahat ng iyong makakaya at iwan mo sa kanya ang kahihinatnan. Kaming mga kapatiran sa INC ay lubos na nanalangin para sa iyong kaligtasan at tagumpay. Inaasahan ka ng sambayanang Filipino. Patnubayan ka nawa ng Dios.
Abe should learn more in using his jabs.He should understand that jabbing is one way to set up for power shots.Stamina ,he should throw his body to the hardest he could when training to gain stamina.Laziness and no self determination to train as hard as you could always bring the fighter into a losing trend.Abe should fight a do or die like there could never be another fight for him.Same as Pacquiao every fight is always a do or die. always
Good luck abe, the whole country is with you, stay focus, more importantly don't quite for that's what champions are made up.
Lopez will send Concepcion to the canvas kissing the shoes of Lopez.
good luck abe galingan mo wish you all the best and god bless you
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