INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines—Torrid, toe-to-toe action which Filipino fight fans missed in last month’s Dream Match in Las Vegas could be enjoyed when hard-hitting Filipino Bernabe Concepcion fights for the vacant WBC International featherweight crown at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.

Aljoe Jaro, Concepcion’s manager, pledged this on Sunday as his fast-growing fighter prepares for his showdown with former WBC International titlist Sande Otieno of Kenya.

Jaro said Concepcion is ready for his first fight in the exacting but richer featherweight ranks.

“He has just grown too big for the 122-pound division,” Jaro told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net). “But I’m sure Bernabe will be at his best at 126 lb where he could make use of his full power.”

Called the Real Deal, Concepcion—who made waves by capturing the WBC and North American Boxing Federation junior featherweight crowns in a sensational campaign in the United States—will also be eyeing the world featherweight crown within the year against either Steve Luevano or Oscar Larios.

Larios is the same Mexican whom Manny Pacquiao decisioned in 2006, also at the Big Dome.

Also seeing action in the same card that will be telecast by Solar Sports are RP mini-flyweight champion Denver Cuello against Indonesian junior flyweight champion Yanus Emaury, and Sonnyboy Jaro versus Nanpayyak Sakkipin of Thailand.

Promoters have reported brisk ticket sales for the country’s first major boxing card of the year.