JuanMa Makes Another Title Defense on July 10th
Juan Manuel Lopez defends his WBO title against upstart challenger Bernabe Concepcion on July 10 in his native Puerto Rico. He enters this bout as a heavy favorite, though Concepcion is a good young fighter who just might have a few surprises up his sleeve.
Lopez, however, seems a cut above. He is one of boxing’s premier up-and-comers. He is a young (26) southpaw puncher who appears to be improving. He won his first 3 world title bouts by first-round knockout and is coming off a dominant 7th-round knockout of 37-1 WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano.
WBO Featherweight Title: 12 Rounds
Site: Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Date: July 10, 2010
Juan Manuel Lopez, 28-0 (25 KOs), Caguas, Puerto Rico, WBO Featherweight Champion.
Vs.
Bernabe Concepcion, 28-3-1 (15 KOs), Rizal, Philippines.
Concepcion turned pro at 16, suffered a few early setbacks, and then went on a big roll that now has him in contention. His only setback in the past 5+ years was when he was disqualified in a bid for this same title against Luevano in August of last year. He hit Luevano after the bell and got the hook. He was doing fairly well and may have won the title that night if not for the fight-ending foul.
Lopez vs. Concepcion Preview: What Each Man Brings to the Table
With 25 knockouts in 28 wins, Lopez obviously depends somewhat on his power. He can hit with both hands. There is a very natural look to his punching, as he throws punches explosively in a textbook fashion. He can hurt his opponents to the body. His long and distinguished amateur career helped make him the advanced study he is today. He is a polished fighter who can turn your lights out really quick.
Lopez has shown some vulnerability, particularly in his near-escape against 26-12-2 Rogers Mtgawa. He can be hit and sometimes he doesn’t react from a solid clout terribly well. He can show a certain lack of adaptability in the ring at times. Against Mtgawa, he was nailed over and over by the same shots when a simple corrective measure would have done wonders. He showed an inability to think on his feet in that fight.
Maybe it all boils down to preparation for Lopez. Perhaps he was under-motivated going in against a 12-loss fighter. When mentally prepared, he has shown himself to be the total package. Until proven otherwise, it seems fair to go ahead and just call that an “off night.”
A similar “off night” could prove disastrous against the more-talented Bernabe Concepcion. The squarely built and rugged Filipino is an interesting fighter. He can punch a little bit and uses pretty good head movement and excellent punch anticipation to get in position to score points. He can be a difficult night’s work for any featherweight in the land. He has never been stopped and has a high level of durability.
In Concepcion’s last fight—a good win over contender Mario Santiago—he showed some new layers as he unveiled a boxing and moving style that was reminiscent of countryman Manny Pacquiao. Obviously, his work with Freddie Roach has added something to his game. He would land a quick punch, then dart out. The versatility he showed in dominating Santiago was impressive. He frequently hurt Santiago with punches that appeared to have more zip on them than normal. There is a growing amount of polish on this enthusiastic and strong challenger.
Lopez vs. Concepcion Prediction
Concepcion is a worthy contender whose actual powers might surpass his name value at this point. He will be a fighter who makes some noise in this game. Against Lopez, however, he might be biting off a little more than he can chew. With a 3-inch advantage in height and reach, Lopez will enjoy operating from a little distance. Concepcion will be forced to endure some punishment before he can even be in a position where his physical strength can come into play.
The young Filipino has the form and talent to not get bowled over by the rampaging champion, who will be inspired fighting on his home turf. He can remain moderately competitive for the first several rounds or so, but the crispness and power of the Lopez attack will begin to take over by the mid-rounds.
Concepcion could conceivably be one of those rising young contenders who fully shines at the right moment to give the champion fits. There is no reason to think that he will not make a good effort. I just think Lopez’ shots to the body and head will land with increasing flushness as the rounds go by, eventually bringing this fight to an end somewhere around the 9th round.
Prediction: Lopez by 9th round TKO.
