Beleaguered again

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

EVERYTIME a Filipino boxer fights a Mexican, especially in a world title fight, Filipino friends of mine from here and abroad tease me about whom I will pick to be the victor of the match. Having both Filipino and Mexican roots, I’m always beleaguered. If I pick the Filipino fighter like in the case of Manny Pacquiao or Nonito Donaire, no questions asked; but if I pick the Mexican fighter, I usually get a challenge for a bet, usually a case or two of beer but it’s really all for fun.

So here I am again, piqued anew by my friends over the much-awaited title bout between World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion Steven Luevano, a Mexican born in Los Angeles, California like Oscar de la Hoya, and number one contender Bernabe Concepcion of Binangonan, Rizal. The battle, to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 16 (RP time) is one of the highlights of the main event featuring our very own International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) flyweight titlist Nonito Donaire Jr. versus a Panamian and former world champion Rafael Concepcion for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) interim super flyweight title. Perhaps by the time you read this piece, the battles would have already finished. I expect my colleague, maestro and boxing buff Jun Velasco and friends to rendezvous at my place again to enjoy the event that will be shown live on cable TV.

WBO featherweight champ Steven Luevano (right)
together with my nephew Jorge Garcia Alvarez (middle)
and Jorge’s first child Jordi.

My nephew Jorge Garcia Alvarez is connected with the Luevano camp. He looks after the strength, the body and mental conditioning of Luevano, now a two-year reigning champion with four successful defenses and with a card of 36 wins (15 of them via the short route), and a single draw and loss each. Jorge, whom I met last May 29 and 30 at his house in California. Told me in an email to me that if they succeed against Concepcion, they will look forward to talking to Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions and Freddie Roach for a possible Pacquiao-Luevano fight under the 140 lbs. division with Pacquiao’s WBO super lightweight tiara at stake. Although I would describe that as suntok-sa-buwan, that just might happen. I believe that such a match will also be bankable and another blockbuster battle because both are world champions. Remember, Filipinos and Mexicans make the biggest crowd in California and in Las Vegas.

The five-foot-seven Luevano, 28, has to hurdle the 21 year-old Concepcion first and has to win impressively to coax Arum and Roach. The five-foot-four Virac, Catanduanes-born Concepcion, nicknamed “Kamaong Llave”, is not a pushover prizefighter being the former World Boxing Council (WBC) youth super bantamweight king and the reigning WBC international featherweight champ, toting a card of 29 victories with 17 stoppages, one draw and a lone loss. Meaning, he has a good chance to become world champion, too, like his compatriots Pacquiao and Donaire.

If you ask me, I want Concepcion to win, but I believe Luevano will be the lucky one. The difference is the experience. I hope I’m not wrong.

* * * *

I was impressed by the idea of Gov. Amado Espino, Jr. to construct two new buildings at the Narciso Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) in Lingayen for ‘contact sports’ like boxing, judo, taekwondo and wushu, to name some. He disclosed this during the Kapihan presscon last week hosted by the new Pangasinan Press and Radio Club led by president Rannie J. Manaois.

Contact sports are suited for Filipinos because ‘height is not might’ in such sports unlike in basketball and volleyball games.

The NRSCC was constructed under the supervision of Espino when he was still the PNP provincial director of the province.

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