Hot prospect Kenneth "Lover Boy" Llover takes a big step up in competition when he faces one-time world title challenger Edward "El Heneral" Heno today at the General Trias Convention Centre in Cavite.

Armed with an immaculate 10-0-0 win-loss-draw card with seven knockouts, Llover is slightly favored to emerge victorious in front of his hometown fans and followers in the show being put by Filipino boxing great Gerry Peñalosa.

But Heno, who parades a 15-3-6 ledger with five knockouts, should be a tough nut to crack given his durability and vast experience, having also been once the Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation champion.

Several years ago, Heno traveled to the United States and fought for the World Boxing Organization light-fly plum.

Puerto Rican Elwin Soto beat Heno on points.

Heno has likewise fought in Thailand and Japan (thrice).

During the official weighin, Llover, barely out of his teens at 20, and Heno, 31, both stepped on the scales at 117.4 lbs.

At stake is the vacant World Boxing Council Asian Continental bantamweight crown.

Llover fights out of the famed Peñalosa Boxing Stable.