2 Pinoy pugs fight in Puerto Rico

FILIPINO boxers Bernabe Concepcion and Allan Tañada will face separate opponents today in the undercard of the much-anticipated rematch for the WBO featherweight crown between defending champion Orlando Salido of Mexico and Juan Manuel Lopez of Puerto Rico.

Concepcion (29W-5L-1D, 15 KOs), who weighed in at 125.5 pounds during the official weigh-in held one day before the fight, will defend his WBO-North American Boxing Organization (NABO) featherweight title against undefeated American Miguel Angel ‘Mikey’ Garcia (27W-0L, 23 KOs).

Garcia made the 126-pound limit on his second attempt. He has scored abbreviated wins in his last five fights while Concepcion has lost in two world title challenges against Steven Luevano and Juan Manuel Lopez.

Tañada (11W-1L-2D, 5KOs), a former OPBF superfeatherweight titlist, battles Puerto Rican Gamalier Rodriguez (17-2-3, 12KOs). Both boxers weighed in at 128 lbs for their eight-round, non-title showdown.

Last November, Tañada won in Las Vegas, beating Juan Ruiz by majority decision. Rodriguez has not lost since 2009, when he was outpointed by David Rodela.

In the main event, Salido (37W-11L-2D, 25 KOs) will try to duplicate the big upset he scored last year when he dethroned the previously unbeaten champion Lopez (31W-1L, 28 KOs) by 8th round technical knockout.

The fight card will be held at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. /Correspondentr Rene Bonsubre Jr.