LOS ANGELES, California ? Promoter and manager Aljoe Jaro has admitted his ward Bernabe Concepcion is ready to fight for world title although he expressed misgivings if the opportunity will come sooner.
?Of course we will accept it if the offer will come anytime but I still maintain that Concepcion is still young and we are not rushing him up,? volunteered Jaro, who arrived here January 19 (L.A. time) for Concepcion?s 10-round non-title fight against Adam Carrera in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 26.
Jaro, who manages around 20 boxers in his gym in Binangonan, Rizal in the Philippines, watched Concepcion (25-1, 14 KOs) in his workout at the Wild Card gym in Hollywood Monday afternoon and was impressed by the young boxer?s sharpness while being punched mitt by famed trainer Freddie Roach.
?I feel better now. My weight is now 128 pounds,? Concepcion said in Tagalog.
With five days to go before the appointment with Carrera (19-3, 8 KOs), Roach said his prot?g? is ?very okay.?
Concepcion, the reigning North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super bantamweight ruler, said he is confident of getting his fighting weight of 127 lbs on July 25 during the official weigh in at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
He ate only fried fish, soup and fruits in a Thai restaurant located a stone throw away from the famous gym.
After the workout, Jaro and boxing agent Michael Koncz discussed the possibility of including the 21-year-old Concepcion in another card on September 27 in San Franciso to be co-promoted by MP Promotions owned by double-crown world champion Manny Pacquiao.
In close collaboration with Koncz, Jaro said things are getting better for Concepcion and his other wards scheduled to invade the United States before the year ends.
Since losing former International Boxing Federation (IBF) mini flyweight champion Florentino Condes in a managerial fracas, Jaro said he is banking on Philippine light flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro who is expected to face IBF flyweight titlist Edgar Sosa in Sosa?s tune-up fight in September before defending his title against world number one contender and mandatory challenger Juanito Rubillar late this year.
Jaro said he believed that Concepcion will follow the footsteps of Pacquiao saying ?it is only a matter of time.?
Pacquiao, who will be at ringside on July 26, is the major supporter of Concepcion in the United States.
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