Philippines, 11 Aug 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Llover Has to Win Big to Boost Ranking


PhilBoxing.com



Kenneth Llover.

Orient-Pacific bantamweight champion Kenneth Llover needs to win impressively in his scheduled fight against Panamian veteran two-time world titlist Luis Concepción to boost his rankings particularly with the World Boxing Council (WBC).

Despite his being rated by the Ring Magazine and being champion in the division in the OPBF, the WBC's main regional affiliate in the Asia-Pacific, Llover is only ranked #14 by the WBC in its latest ratings. This just a notch higher than his last ranking by the boxing body. Incidentally, boxrec.com rates him as #20 in the Japanese-dominated weight class.

Analysts presumed such low ranking has been due to his quite lengthy inactivity. Llover last fought when he scored back to back first round knockouts against Japanese Keita Kurihara and Tulio Dekanarudo in Japan, completing his conquest of the OPBF bantamweight crown in December 2024 and March 2025.

It is therefore incumbent upon Llover to win his next bout against Concepcion and win impressively to put him into top ten, or preferably top five in the WBC ranking, and place him in a better position to vie for the world title.

Junto Nakatani is the current WBC bantamweight champion but he is also under consideration to be the next challenger of undisputed world super bantamweight king Naoya Inoue this December or early next year. In such eventuality, Nakatani will be forced to vacate his WBC and likewise his IBF belts to focus on his challenge of Inoue.

Llover needs to get higher ranking at bantamweight to put himself into contention.

He therefore needs to win big against Concepcion who though presently unranked has the credentials and capabilities to pose Llover problems and God forbid, spoil his world title ambitions.

The young Llover, only 22, is unbeaten in 14 bouts, with 10 of his wins coming by knockout.

Concepcion was former world titlist in the flyweight and super flyweight in 2017-2018. Though he has 11 losses in 51 total bouts, most of these came against top name fighters such as Hernan "Tyson" Marquez whom he fought four times, Khalid Yafai and then unbeaten Edward Moloney. His last fight was a points loss to David Cuellar who went on to challenge Nakatani recently and lost by 2nd round TKO.

However "El Nica" has 29 knockouts in his 40 wins making him a dangerous opponent.

'Lover Boy' Llover will be careful but definitely not show him any love when they clash on Sunday, August 17, 2025 at the Winford Resort Hotel and Casino in Manila.

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

The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Llover Has to Win Big to Boost Ranking
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 11 Aug 2025
  • ALOYSIUS YAPP MAKES HISTORY WITH FLORIDA OPEN TRIUMPH
    , Mon, 11 Aug 2025
  • Don King Issues Cease and Desist Order to SELA and TKO Over Michael Hunter Fight
    , Mon, 11 Aug 2025
  • Finally, Manny Pacquiao Rated WBC #1 Contender, Reenters Ring Welterweight Ranking at #9
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 11 Aug 2025
  • NP Bansalan rules Buhangin slugfest
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 11 Aug 2025
  • Battle Ready: Midgley and Apisit Clash for WBF Australasian Heavyweight Strap
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 10 Aug 2025
  • Filipino Jan Clifford Labog wins big in Hongkong chess tourney; earns Candidate Master title
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 10 Aug 2025
  • Featherweight Crusher Mirco Cuello Destroys Sergio Rios to Win WBA Interim Championship in Benghazi
    , Sat, 09 Aug 2025
  • TONIGHT! Maricela "La Diva" Cornejo to Battle Natasha "The Nightmare" Spence for WBA International Title
    , Sat, 09 Aug 2025
  • INKSIDE Track: A Quarantine Story Tattooed in Mactan
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Sat, 09 Aug 2025
  • A Night of Boxing in Sta Ynez, California: Cain Sandoval Versus Jino Rodrigo
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 08 Aug 2025
  • USA Boxing Announces 2025 World Boxing Championships Roster
    , Fri, 08 Aug 2025
  • Adrien Broner Hints at Comeback, Pledges 3-5 More Years to Boxing
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 08 Aug 2025
  • Heavyweight Jamar Talley falls short in opening bout of 2023 Santiago Pan American Games
    , Fri, 08 Aug 2025
  • Milo Marathon in Tagum on September 7
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 08 Aug 2025
  • Former Undisputed Heavyweight World Champion, Riddick Bowe Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
    , Fri, 08 Aug 2025
  • Gaballo and Laurente to Co-Headline Sanman Boxing Event in Gensan
    , Thu, 07 Aug 2025
  • Paulo Salud and His POWer Punches
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 07 Aug 2025
  • Jamaine Ortiz Eager to Face Steve Claggett in Co-Main Event of MVP Fight Night on DAZN
    , Thu, 07 Aug 2025
  • Happy 53rd Birthday to the One and Only Gerry Peñalosa!!!
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 07 Aug 2025
  • FLORIDA POOL OPEN DAY TWO: GORST FALLS TO ATENCIO AS CHUA, YAPP, AND DUONG CRUISE INTO LAST 64
    , Thu, 07 Aug 2025
  • 128 chess players officially registered for Touchmove
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 07 Aug 2025
  • Japanese Rule of the Lower Weights Under Challenge by Pinoy, Latino Boxers
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 07 Aug 2025
  • September 6: Former World Champion Oscar Valdez Faces Ricky "El Castigo" Medina in Mexican Homecoming at Domo Binacional in Nogales
    , Thu, 07 Aug 2025
  • Former World Champion & U. S. Olympian Sadam Ali to headline “The Return” on August 31 in Detroit
    , Thu, 07 Aug 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.