All news tagged KennethLlover

Filipino rising star Kenneth “The Lover Boy” Llover continued his impressive ascent in the boxing ranks after scoring a fourth-round stoppage victory over Luciano Baldor of Argentina.

The spitfire from General Trias, Cavite showcased his trademark aggression and power, flooring Baldor before sealing the win with a decisive flurry that forced the referee to step in.

With the victory, Llover preserved his perfect record, improving to 16 wins with 11 knockouts (16-0, 11 KOs) — a clear statement that he remains one of the Philippines’ most promising young fighters.

The dominant performance further cements Llover’s growing reputation as a knockout artist and a future contender on the international stage.

After scoring back-to-back first-round wins, rising Filipino bantamweight Kenneth Llover showed maturity beyond his years by taking his time — and it paid off.

He stopped former two-division world champion Luis Concepcion via eighth-round TKO on Sunday, August 17, at Winford Resort and Casino Manila.

The pride of General Trias, Cavite is now one step closer to a world title shot. His strategy took place by means of patience and that is why he obtained victory.

Despite scoring early knockdowns in the second and third rounds, the 22-year-old from General Trias, Cavite didn’t rush the finish. 

Instead, he listened to his corner and stuck to the game plan, ultimately earning a technical knockout in the 8th round over former two-division world champion Luis Concepcion. 

“Hindi lahat ng laban natatapos agad. Kailangan may diskarte, may tiyaga, ang pinaghahandaan namin ay world championship,” Llover said. 

Concepcion’s grit and experience weren’t enough to stop Llover, whose patience and power carried him through.

“Hindi po [ako na-frustrate] kasi expected ko na po yun sa laban namin ngayon na talagang aabot kami sa mahabang round. Then yun naman yung sinabi sa akin ni Sir Gerry Peñalosa na malakas yan, Mag-ingat ka. Then nung time na knockdown ko siya, di akong nagmadali. Talagang hindi ko siya tinapos kasi once na mamadaling ko yun, pwede akong ako yung madehado, ako yung matsambahan. Kaya, talagang nag-ingat ako na hanggang makuha ko siya sa tamang round na yun yung biniyaya ng Diyos ko kanina.” he added.

Up next: a world title eliminator this October against IBF No. 5 contender Landi Ngxeke. The road to a world championship for Llover is on.

Undefeated Filipino prospect Kenneth “The Lover Boy” Llover will face the biggest test of his career when he takes on former WBC world champion Luis “El Nica” Concepcion of Panama in a 10-round super flyweight bout on August 17 at Winford Resort and Casino in Manila.

The bout, part of the “Mano a Mano” card promoted by Gerry Peñalosa’s GerryPens Promotions, is a non-title fight but carries major implications for both fighters.

Llover (14-0, 9 KOs), just 22 and hailing from General Trias, Cavite, has been on a hot streak, recently capturing the OPBF bantamweight title with a first-round knockout of Japan’s Keita Kurihara in Tokyo. That win followed another first-round stoppage of Tulio Dekanarudo in Osaka for the OPBF Interim title.

Concepcion (40-11, 29 KOs), a seasoned veteran and former WBC Silver flyweight and super flyweight champion, returns after a year-long layoff. His last fight ended in an eighth-round TKO defeat to Mexico’s David Cuellar Contreras in October 2023.

With Llover’s youth and momentum going up against Concepcion’s experience, fans can expect an exciting clash of generations as both boxers look to make a statement in Manila.

Kenneth Llover, one of the country’s brightest hopes for a world title, makes his much-awaited return after scoring back-to-back first-round knockout wins when he battles Panamanian two-division champion Luis Concepcion on 17 August at the Winford Resort and Casino in Manila.

Coming off brutal wins over Japanese Tulio Dekanarudo and Keita Kurihara, Llover is looking at the Concepcion clash as a stepping stone towards a world title crack.

“I am excited to fight in front of my kababayans again. Luis Concepcion is a warrior; he is aggressive and experienced. I expect him to bring the fight. This is going to be an explosive night,” said Llover. 

Concepcion paraded a 40-11 mark with 29 knockouts, and promoter Gerry Penalosa, also a two-division world champion like the Central American puncher, believes the Cavite-based Llover, nicknamed “Lover Boy,” will be in for a rough ride.

“Concepcion is the most decorated foe yet for Llover. He brings a wealth of experience with over 50 fights. This fight will show how ready is for the next level. Fans can’t miss this one,” Penalosa said.

Penalosa is teaming up with Kameda Promotions to stage a mouth-watering showdown on local soil, with the boxing outfit’s chief Koki Kameda arriving to watch the action.

Owing to his sensational performances in Japan, Llover is highly ranked by The Ring magazine.

The Philippine boxing community is grieving the loss of former title challenger and veteran trainer Jonathan Peñalosa, who passed away on Monday, April 28, after a valiant battle with colon cancer. He was 57.

Peñalosa was the older brother of two-time world champion Gerry Peñalosa and Dodie Boy Peñalosa Sr. His wake is currently being held at their family home in San Carlos City.

Eight-division world champion and former senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, who trained under him for many years, is among those who paid tribute to Peñalosa. Pacquiao shared a heartfelt video on Facebook featuring training sessions with the late coach.

“Rest in peace, Coach Jonathan Peñalosa. You weren’t just a coach to me—you were a brother, in and out of the ring. Thank you for your sacrifices and the love you gave me and my family. We will never forget you. Our prayers are with the Peñalosa family. We will forever miss you, Coach,” said Pacquiao.

Peñalosa died exactly a week after Pacquiao personally visited him at Bacolod City Riverside Hospital following his surgery.

Coach Jonathan had a seven-year pro career from 1985 to 1993, the highlight of which was his fight against WBA flyweight champion Yong Kang Kim of South Korea in 1992, which he unfortunately lost via a sixth-round knockout. His career record stood at 15-4-1 with 7 KOs.

Jonathan was one of three boxing children of patriarch Carl Peñalosa, a two-time Philippine super-lightweight champion.

Following his boxing career, Coach Jonathan became a fight trainer and eventually joined Pacquiao’s stable of local trainers.

He was part of Pacquiao’s team for some of his marquee fights, including those against Tim Bradley, Jeff Horn, Lucas Matthysse, Keith Thurman, among others.

It was also Peñalosa who trained Pacquiao for his six-round exhibition fight against South Korean martial artist DK Yoo in 2022.

As Pacquiao retired, the elder Peñalosa took Pacman’s fighting son, Eman Bacosa, under his wing.