By: Hans Themistode
Robson Conceicao raised his hands jubilantly in the air after 12 tough rounds against Oscar Valdez.
The Brazilian-born not only believes he has just scored the biggest goal of his career but more importantly, his championship dream is simply a reality in the moment. But while Conceicao smiled broadly, his smile was immediately wiped off seconds later when Valdez was awarded a unanimous decision victory after their September 2021 game.
Despite his anger, Conceicao vowed to return and strive to return to the world title. After a loss to Xavier Martinez earlier tonight at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Conceicao is now back on the championship hunt.
Although the 33-year-old former Olympic gold medalist was primarily known as a boxer throughout his career, he sped up the pace right from the opening bell.
A confident and seemingly still furious Conceicao knocked down several strong throws in the first two minutes of their contest, a sign of what tonight will be for Martinez. In an effort to keep his distance, Martinez was on high alert and began to deflect the man’s shots from the glove.
With the initial attack failing, Conceicao began to work his body. As the former amateur continued to focus on attacking his man’s lower body, he connected with several left and right hooks, some of which sent Martinez staggered.
Throughout their contest, Martinez seemed to have no answer. Unlike the game against Valdez, where Conceicao seemed to take his foot off the accelerator, he continued to put pressure on the 130-pound undefeated former contender.
With his trackless record slipping through his fingers, Martinez blasted Conceicao with a right hook with just a few seconds remaining in the 10th round. It was the best moment of the night for the team. with Martinez, however, he was unable to string together a series of punches to gain momentum.
When their contest officially ended, Conceicao knew he had the upper hand in action and was rewarded with a decisive unanimous victory.
