He brought along a soft, blue pillow when he showed up at his press conference yesterday.
And with the sleeping accessory, WBA super flyweight champion Rafael “El Torito” Concepcion (18-6-1, 8KOs) made clear his intentions of sending unbeaten WBO Asia Pacific super bantamweight champion Genesis “Azukal” Servania (22-0, 8KOs) to dreamland when they tangle this Saturday in the main event of Pinoy Pride XXII: The Revenge at the Pacific Grand Ball Room of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Concepcion met the media at the Formo Restaurant and Lounge, and declared he is set to repeat what he accomplished in 2008 when he knocked out AJ “Bazooka” Banal in the 10th round at the Cebu Coliseum to win the interim WBA Super flyweight title.
“So sorry in advance to the Filipino and Cebuano boxing fans because I’m going to break your hearts again,” said Concepcion who came with his handler Carlos Costa and trainer Rigoberto Garibaldi.
At stake in their 12-round showdown is the WBO intercontinental super bantamweight title.
“He has never faced a boxer like me. I’m more experienced and I’ve fought some of the world’s best. I am here to win,” added the 31-year-old Panamanian, who holds a record of 18-6-1 (win-loss-draw) with eight wins by knockouts. “I even prepared a pillow for Servania so that when I knock him out he can dream comfortably with this pillow.”
NO POWER
Concepcion said he has already seen Servania’s fight tapes and described the latter as a good technical boxer. But he said Banal hits harder than him.
“I almost quit when I faced Banal because he hits hard. I almost lost my balance but my heart and will prevailed that night. He hits harder than Jorge Arce. I think Servania won’t hurt me because he does not have power like Banal has,” Concepcion said.
Concepcion has also fought but lost to world champions Jorge Arce, Fernando Montiel and Filipino Nonito Donaire, whom he considers the best boxer he has fought.
El Torito’s threat
But he is optimistic about his chances against Servania.
“My message to him is that I’m going to pull his head off when I fight him inside the ring. I will win and I am sure of it,” the cocky Panamanian declared.
His confidence stems from the fact that he underwent rigid training to prepare for this fight. He said he sparred against three world champions in WBA featherweight champion Nicholas Walters (22-0, 18KOs) of Jamaica, WBA super flyweight champion Liborio Solis (15-3-1, 7KOs) of Venezuela and WBA bantamweight champion Anselmo Moreno (34-2-1, 12KOs), who is also from Panama.
“He (Servania) cannot handle the power of Concepcion that’s why I am very confident that he will win the fight. I’ve trained Concepcion hard for this fight so it’s going to be exciting,” said Garibaldi.
Despite his taunts against Servania, Concepcion said he considers the Philippines as his second home because he won the world title here. In fact, he said that he extends his support and prayers to the victims of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit Cebu and Bohol last Oct. 15.