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| The stage is set for the Kenneth Llover-Luis Concepcion battle on Sunday, where a win could bring the Filipino stalwart closer in the IBF bantamweight title race. Luis Fabregar |
MANILA--If everything goes according to plan, Kenneth Llover could find himself in the world title picture very soon.
Boxing legend Gerry Penalosa said on Friday that a possible crack at one of Junto Nakatani's bantamweight belts, the International Boxing Federation title, awaits the undefeated Llover if he takes care of former two-division world champ Luis Concepcion two nights later at the Winford Hotel Ballroom.
"God-willing sa mga plano, Kenneth might be fighting a world title fight next," Penalosa, who is now a boxing promoter himself, said during the pre-fight press conference at the said venue.
Penalosa is among the two promoters behind Llover's upcoming home stand against Concepcion, the other being Kameda Promotions.
As reporters sought for clarification, Penalosa revealed that he has already lined up an October bout for Llover.
However, as much as he wants to see his prized ward fight in front of a huge crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City in the highly-anticipated "Thrilla in Manila" 50th anniversary fight card also during the said month, Penalosa further said that, barring surprise adjustments, it may not happen for now.
"About yung 'Thrilla', ang alam ko may naka-ready na ang MP Promotions na lineup, so I think puno na rin sila," Penalosa continued, baring that because of this, he had to book Oct. 19 for Llover in Yokohama.
An added plot twist is that Nakatani, who also holds the WBC bantamweight title, is now set to move up to the junior featherweights and already relinquished both title belts last week.
Although he owns the regional championship for bantamweights by the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation, which is under the WBC, Llover, currently ranked eighth by the IBF, will gun for the IBF belt first.
The Oct. 19 bout, according to Penalosa, is actually an IBF title eliminator.
However, Llover needs to hurdle Concepcion's challenge first in the scheduled 10-round battle.
"Assuming with the help ng Panginoon walang magagasgas at injury sa laban na ito, Kenneth will be fighting on Oct. 19 in Yokohama, Japan for the eliminator para sa number one [contender] spot," Penalosa further said.
Once the bout has been set and Llover continues to roll on, he will battle the winner of another clash that will involve Nakatani's supposed mandatory challenger, Jose Salas.
Salas, who could have been in line to battle Nakatani before he decided to join fellow Japanese boxing sensation Naoya Inoue at 122 pounds, will now have to face another top contender, likely Inoue's brother Takuma, for the now vacant IBF title at 118 pounds.
According to Penalosa, Llover can fight the winner of the Jose Salas-Takuma Inoue bout 90 days afterward, which means the General Trias native's world title shot, if he makes it there, could take place early next year.
Whoever that is, Llover is ready for the challenge.
"Kahit sino ang ibigay ni Boss Gerry Penalosa, basta sa division ko, laban tayo dyan," Llover said.
While the logical choice for him for the number one contender spot is number five-ranked Landi Ngxeke, Llover said that he would love to battle number 10-ranked Tenshin Nasukawa.
"Syempre, isang napakagandang pagkakataon yun sa karera ko na aakyat si Junto Nakatani. Nakikita ko talagang magkakaharap kami ni Nasukawa. Magandang bakbakan ito kaya hinahamon nila kami sa Japan noong last fight ko," Llover added.
First things first: Llover must soundly beat Concepcion for the plans to push through.
Both Llover and Concepcion made weight for the said bout, although Llover needed two tries to enter the bantamweight zone.
During the official weigh-in on Saturday, Llover initially weighed in at 118.4 pounds, but after 15 minutes, he tipped the scales at 117.8.
Concepcion, who admitted that he would love to go back to the junior bantamweight level, came in on his first attempt at 117 pounds.
