Returning Concepcion vs Mexican

LAS VEGAS – Bernabe Concepcion, who was once dubbed as the next Manny Pacquiao, is on the comeback trail.

At the Mandalay Bay Friday (today in Manila) the 23-year-old from Virac, Catanduanes will try to stay on the right track.

After a promising start, in that a lot of people started comparing him to Pacquiao, Concepcion failed to live up to expectations.

He has lost two of his last three fights, by disqualification against Steven Luevano in August of 2009, and by knockout to Juan Manuel Lopez in July last year.

Concepcion threw a solid punch that floored Luevano after the bell ending the seventh round had sounded, and against Lopez he traded knockdowns in the opening round before being knocked out in the second.

Concepcion is hoping to throw the right punches Friday against Juan Carlos Martinez of Mexico in the co-main event of a Top Rank presentation.

It’s a non-title fight in the featherweight class.