Kenyan boxer, binalaan si Concepcion

Malaki man ang bentahe ni Bernabe Concepcion sa kanya, binalaan naman ni Kenyan Sande Otieno ang Filipino super bantamweight sensation sa kanilang pagtatagpo sa Enero 11 sa Araneta Coliseum.

“I know he enjoys a better global ranking than me but he surely must fight on the match day,” sabi ni Otieno, katulad ni Concepcion ay pinupuntirya rin ang bakanteng World Boxing Council (WBC) international featherweight title.

Hangad ni Otieno na makabangon mula sa isang kabiguan kay Filipino Balweg Bangoyan kung saan nawala sa kanya ang dating suot na WBC International super bantamweight crown.

Nakatakdang bumiyahe ngayon ang tropa ni Otieno sa Maynila mula sa Doha, Qatar galing sa Kenya para sagupain si Concepcion, ang kasalukuyang North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super bantamweight champion.

Kapwa manggagaling sina Bernabe at Otieno sa super bantamweight division para sa kanilang featherweight fight sa Big Dome.

“It’s not a big deal to move a berth up. I feel much comfortable going to the next level and all is going well in training,” ani Otieno. “I have cut shot my Christmas and New Year celebrations to focus on the green belt I lost through dubious means.”

Ibinabandera ni Concepcion, tubong Binangonan, Rizal, ang kanyang  27-1-1 kasama rito ang 16 KOs, habang taglay naman ni Otieno ang 16-1-0 (7 KOs).

Nasa boxing card rin ang pakikipagharap nina dating world light flyweight challenger at Oriental Pacific champion Sonny Boy “The Bullet” Jaro at RP miniflyweight king Denver “The Excitement” Cuello sa kani-kanilang foreign rivals. (Russell Cadayona)