Sometimes we fight fans get lucky - Saturday
noche down San Juan, Puerto Rico way was one of them times - a
twin-bill of hot title action.
On that note, let's go to the unbeaten hometown
favorite from Caguas, Juan Manuel Lope AKA "Juanma" defending his
WBO Featherweight strap against young at 22, veteran of 33 kept
appointments Bernabe Concepcion of the Philippines.
Opening stanza and it's Concepcion down courtesy
of Lopez power left hand; no sooner on his feet it's Lopez quickly
on top of the Filipino with a combination at close quarters - bingo!
- a Concepcion counter left hook and Lopez is down.
No surprise, that one way or the other, it's a
given this one would be aborted well before the scheduled twelve
rounds - sure enough both answer the bell for round two with
knockout on the mind.
A couple of minutes into the stanza a Lopez power
left hand finds the mark and Concepcion is down - regains his feet
and quickly engages Lopez but at the 2:37 mark is down again from
Lopez right/ left combination.
Visibly in no condition to continue, referee Luis
Pabon quickly moves in to call it no-mas.
Post Scripts: Juanma Lopez (29-0, 26 KOs) ~ at
prime time age 27 - is ready and willing for rumored step up to a
September Rafael Marquez meeting. On paper another dandy in the
making for sure.
Bernabe Concepcion ( 30-3-1, 17 KOs) ~ still a
kid at age 22 - gave it his best shot from opening bell but was
rushed in over his head. Has time to grow - the Lopez knockdown
created an illusion - only thing it clarified is the proverbial
quickie is not always satisfying.
……………………………….....................................................................................
The Donaire - Marquez co/feature for the WBA
Super Flyweight "interim" bauble opened with both working from the
port side - Marquez had the edge in numero uno and three - Donaire
grabs round two, with both fighters in the counter puncher mode.
No sooner broadcasters Al Bernstein and Gus
Johnson agreed in opinion Donaire opting to work from the southpaw
stance against the natural portsider was handicapping the kid from
Sonora, Mexico.
Donaire gets wake up call between candles three
and four and converts to the orthodox stance - big round with power
hooks and left uppercuts - continues during round five action that
sees Marquez on the canvas courtesy Donaire left hook.
The Donaire size and power advantage saw him
calling the shots against a ever willing Marquez into stanza eight,
when a Donaire sizzling left uppercut found the sweet spot with
finis written over it as the game Mexican fell to the canvas and a
corner towel was tossed into the ring.
Time of TKO 2:59 of numero eight.
Post Scripts: Nonito Donaire (24-1, 16 KOs) ~ age
27 - once saving the southpaw approach for the gym, the “Vic
Darchinyan” killer version quickly surfaced. Proved too big and
strong for the gamer from Sonora, Mexico. A belated return with Vic
Darchinyan should pack the joint … label it "Skills vs.
Strongman.”
Passing thoughts: Back in them grand ol' days of
boxing, when promoters were few and far between, the “Matchmakers”
made the fights - most had a knack for when and how to pair them.
The results were good crowd pleasing battles at the club level.
The step up from small clubs like Ridgewood Grove Broadway Arena
to a prelim at the big tent of MSG had to be earned. Game kids like
a Bernabe Concepcion and Hernan Marquez would surely benefit from
them yesteryear days of old.
