Kenneth Llover pumped his first in the air – partly out of excitement but mostly as a sign of relief after having to shed some more pounds just to make it to the weight limit.

The fight night is on so is Llover’s mission to prove that he is ready for the bigger challenges in his budding career.

The undefeated Filipino prospect takes on former two-division world champion Luis Concepcion of Panama in a non-title bantamweight bout on Sunday, Aug. 17 at the Winford Hotel and Casino in Manila.

Llover, fighting out of Gerrypens promotion, made weight on his second try, tipping the scales at 117.8 lbs after first weighing 118.4 lbs.
Concepcion, on the other hand, hardly had any troubles after weighing 117 lbs.

Despite facing some challenges in making weight, Llover promised a much sharper performance on fight night.

“Magiging advantage ko sa laban namin is yung speed and power. Galing siya sa mababang timbang then umakyat siya sa division ko kaya mas (lamang) ako sa speed and power,” said Llover, who is coming into the fight with perfect 14-0 record with nine knockouts.

Still, the 22-year-old pride of General Trias, Cavite isn’t taking things lightly, aware of the wealth of experience Concepcion brings to the ring.

But that’s exactly what makes the 39-year-old Panamanian the perfect opponent for Llover, who is eyeing a shot at the world title before the year ends.

“Sa kanya, experience, (ang lamang niya). Kaya malaking experience talaga ang makukuha ko sa laban namin,” Llover said of his fight against Concepcion, who is packing a 51-fight record of 40 wins and 11 losses.

Asked for a fearless forecast, Llover said he would go for the knockout if the opportunity presents itself, though he emphasized that he’s well-prepared to go the distance if needed.

“Sa akin nakikita ko kung ano ang ipagkaloob ng Panginoon. Hindi ko masasabi eh lalo’t boxing. Di ko rin masasabi eh kaya tingnan na lang natin sa fight,” he said.