INQUIRER Sports

THANK GOD indeed for Nonito Donaire Jr., who prevented a Philippine shutout in Puerto Rico. But who?s going to save us from a raging anomaly by the name of Bernabe Concepcion?

Donaire got a thank-you call from President Benigno Aquino III after his crisp stoppage of a peppery Mexican in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday.

This was reported by Dennis Guillermo of examiner.com, who said Donaire wore a pair of pants similar to the one he had on in last year?s Pinoy Power 2, where he also scored a sensational stoppage.

The outfit had the name AQUINO proudly strapped on the back garter area.

?Congratulations and thank you for making your country proud,? Guillermo quoted our new President as telling Nonito, said to be an adopted member of the Aquino family.

* * *

A job well done, so there?s no need anymore to ask what, if any, did President Noynoy think of the Concepcion debacle?

Truth is, all those who have a stake in Philippine boxing continue to cry out that the Concepcion bout should have been disallowed.

It deeply slurred the image of the Filipino, not only in the Puerto Rican capital, but around the world.

You see, the normal thing after a mismatch is for the hosts to ask: Don?t they have anybody better?

However, not a few Puerto Ricans were overheard asking on Sunday if we didn?t have anybody worse than Concepcion?

* * *

It readily became clear that Concepcion, despite dealing a surprise knockdown in the first round, had no business stepping into the ring with a certified butcher in the person of the undefeated Juan Manuel Lopez, the only boxer to have stopped two-time world champion Gerry Peñalosa.

OK, there was the huge dollar side of the deal, Concepcion was reportedly offered a handsome purse, said to be as much as $200,000.

It?s a chance that should not be passed off, as it comes rarely in the life of a boxer.

As a result Concepcion succeeded in displaying incredible primitive prowess.

He had the heart, OK, as claimed by apologetic local commentators.

However, what boldly stood out was a blind, rabid, unschooled lasher, definitely unworthy of being called a product of Freddie Roach?s fabled Wild Card Gym.

* * *

Rued artist Dennis Filart, a devoted boxing fan: ?(Buboy) Fernandez really thinks he?s a good trainer? No way. Palpak. Concepcion is a scarecrow.?

On Monday, there were reports that Roach, after a few sessions with Concepcion, had eventually given up.

The four-time Trainer of the Year didn?t want to have anything to do with a budding anomaly.

Naturally, after the shameful fall that resulted in the un-selling of the Filipino boxer, accusing fingers were unanimously trained on a leading culprit.

Dr. Ed de la Vega, who always stakes everything each time a Pinoy wages a war in a foreign ring, blames Manny Pacquiao confidante Michael Koncz for the debacle.

Ditto with the keen-eyed Dennis Guillermo.

They ask: Who would have the heart to stop dollar-blinded Koncz from leading Filipino fighters to the slaughterhouse?

Koncz, indeed, may only be worse than Bernabe Concepcion.