Pacquiao dismayed with Abe’s disqualification

Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao expressed dismay with the sorry outcome of compatriot Bernabe “Abe" Concepcion’s first attempt at the world title.

The 21-year-old Concepcion kissed his bid for the WBO feather crown goodbye after he was disqualified for throwing a pair of punches at champion Steven Luevano after the bell had sounded to end the seventh round.

But for Pacquiao, the decision of referee Jay Nady and ring officials to slap Concepcion with an outright DQ was too harsh.

“Dapat pinagbigyan muna ng pagkakataon ng referee, ng judges si Concepcion na warning muna. Dapat di nila agad dinisisyunan na disqualified," Pacquiao said in an interview with GMA News.

Pacquiao is a known supporter of the youthful Concepcion, who was supposed to fight Luevano in the undercard of his "Battle of East and West" showdown with Ricky Hatton last May.

But injury forced Luevano out of that card and eventually, he and Concepcion got to battle it out in the "Pinoy Power 2" card headlined by Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire, Jr. on Sunday (Saturday night in Las Vegas).

Failing to hear the bell, Concepcion unleashed a one-two punch at the end of the seventh that squarely caught a defenseless Luevano. The champ fell flat on his back and could not immediately stand up as his corner led by Robert Garcia attended to him and applied icepack.

For two boxing analysts, however, Luevano exaggerated his predicament to make a strong case for the Filipino challenger’s disqualification.

“I think it’s too much, he’s (Luevano) merely acting. Icepack, oh come on!" said Ronnie Nathanielz.

Ed Tolentino echoed this observation. “Ang isang boksingero pag tinamaan at nakakita ng oportunidad na ma-disqualify yung kalaban, magre-resort sila to a mala-FAMAS best acting (performance). Kunwari array, kunwari nagtutulog-tulugan to get the easy way out."

Concepcion’s trainer, Freddie Roach, initially argued with Nady over the late punches but eventually concurred with the ruling.

“Bernabe was excited. He hurt the guy and hit him late. The disqualification was justified. It wasn’t intentional but it (DQ) was a good call," he said after the bout.

Concepcion explained that he did not hear the bell when he threw those late shots.

“Mainit yung laban, yung sigaw ng crowd mas nangibabaw po sa bell kaya hindi ko narinig yung bell. Yung referee wala din po doon kaya na-release ko yung suntok ko," he said.

But the fighter from Bingangonan, Rizal would have a chance to get back at Luevano by December as Top Rank Promotions head Bob Arum quickly announced a rematch after the fight’s controversial ending. – GMANews.TV

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/170012/Pacquiao-dismayed-with-Abes-disqualification