Rising stars to show wares in Cantada fight card

It’s time to put up or shut up.

Three of the country’s most vicious knockout artists are in for some rough sailing in a show-me-what-you’ve-got card at the Cantada Sports Center in Bicutan starting at 10 this morning.

Philippine minimumweight champion Florante Condes, touted to be the next Manny Pacquiao, stakes his crown against veteran Fabio Marfa while Philippine lightflyweight titlist Sonny Boy Jaro faces mandatory challenger Along Dinoy in a pair of 12-rounders that will once and for all, prove who’s who in their divisions.

Then, there’s superbantamweight Bernabe Concepcion who rejected an offer to fight in the US next week to keep his appointment with Sonny Gonzales in a tenner.

Condes, Jaro and Concepcion are the aces in Aljoe Jaro’s Binangonan stable of 18 fighters. If they win convincingly, the next step is fighting for bigger game.

Condes, 26, boasts a 17-4-1 record, with 17 KOs. No fighter in the 105-pound division has a more impressive KO history, anywhere in the world. Jaro, 24, has scored knockouts in eight of his last nine wins and Concepcion, 18, has compiled six first round stoppages in an 18-2-1 record, with 10 KOs. The fearsome threesome’s reputation as hard-hitting crowd pleasers guarantees a big audience whenever they perform.

"I never pick easy opponents for my fighters because I want them to be tested early enough before I sign them up against world contenders," said Aljoe Jaro, a retired fighter who held former world champion Jose Luis Bueno to a draw in Tokyo in 1992.

Promoter Edgardo (Boy) Cantada is pulling no stops in making the card a showcase for future Pacquiaos. Admission is strictly by invitation only, limited to 250 spectators at the air-conditioned Don Ambrosio basketball gym. A free sit-down lunch of Filipino and Japanese dishes with an all-day open bar awaits guests.

Since Cantada started promoting smokers, he has paved the way for rising stars to achieve their potential. With his son and golf star Gerard, he has dedicated himself to finding more Filipino sports heroes in the memory of father Ambrosio and brother Joe.

"I would like to show that not all boxing promotions in the Philippines are about return on investment," said Cantada. "In four years of boxing promotions providing free admission, I have concentrated in nurturing lesser named and virtually unknown boxers, including Condes and Jaro during their earlier days. It has been very difficult but I take pride with my small measure of success."

Jaro, 35, said two things set his fighters apart from others-power and heart. "You can teach boxing but you can’t teach courage," said Jaro who retired from the ring in 1995 with a 31-12 record, including 15 KOs. "I look for fighters with heart and the dedication to sacrifice. What I like about Condes is he kills himself in training. He has all the tools and a big heart."

Puerto Rican talent agent Dante Ortiz flew in from Las Vegas with former world champion Morris East to watch Condes-who idolizes Mike Tyson-at ringside today. Ortiz is studying the possibility of matching Condes with World Boxing Organization minimumweight champion Ivan Calderon of Puerto Rico.

Cebu-based businessman Tony Aldeguer once said Condes is one of a few Filipino fighters who can take out an opponent with a single punch. Jaro agreed and said Condes’ killer’s instinct is unforgiving.

Marfa, who is managed by Aldeguer, is coming off back-to-back wins and will be a big test for Condes because he’s shifty and hard to hit. He has figured in 19 more bouts than Condes so experience is on his side.

Dinoy, 22, is known for dealing Olympian Danilo Lerio his first pro setback and has lost only once, to Kaichon Sor Vorapin on a technical decision in Thailand, in his last 10 outings. He’s fresh from scoring a seventh round knockout over Alex Guevara.

Gonzales, 21, was knocked out by Concepcion in four rounds last year but has since lost only twice in seven fights. He’s out for revenge against Concepcion.

In another fight, Gerry Peñalosa’s protégé Michael Farenas battles 33-year-old grizzled warrior Julius Tarona who held the Philippine bantamweight crown in 1994.

The 12-round title fights will be aired at 3 this afternoon on RPN-9 and Solar Sports. They will also be shown on ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel/Pinoy Central TV worldwide.