TWO Filipino boxers had mixed fortunes in Las Vegas on the eve of the WBO welterweight title fight between Manny Pacquiao and Sugar Shane Mosley.
Bernabe Concepcion lost to Juan Carlos Martinez of Mexico by a surprising split decision in their eight-round non-title fight held Saturday at the Mandalay Bay.
Martinez was sharper and built an early lead but with trainer Freddie Roach egging him to mount a rally, Concepcion threw more punches in the last two rounds. His effort however, failed to turn things in his favor. Two judges scored it 77-75 for Martinez and one judge had it 77-75 for Concepcion.
Concepcion dropped to 28W-5L-1D, 15 KOs while Martinez improves to 19W-12L-1D, 7 KOs.
Meanwhile, Marlon Tapales beat Alejandro Solorio of California by six-round majority decision. Tapales (17-1, 5 KOs) took the opening round but the game Solorio (4-5, 3 KOs) took rounds two and three. Both boxers suffered knockdowns in a wild round five but Solorio faded in the final round.
One judge scored the bout 57-57, while the other two had it 60-54 and 59-55 for Tapales.
The 18-year-old Tapales is from Lanao del Norte and is being promoted by Rex “Wakee” Salud.
In the fight card’s main event, unbeaten superfeatherweight Diego Magdaleno (19-0, 6 KOs) of the United States won by third round TKO over Gilberto Sanchez Leon (31-9-2, 11 KOs) of Mexico. /Correspondent Rene Bonsubre Jr.