Unbeaten Filipino bantamweight Kenneth Llover, who electrified the Japanese boxing scene last December with a 59-second win, challenges for the Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) crown on 24 March in Tokyo.

Defending the OPBF 118-kb throne at the Korakuen Hall, is the long-armed banger Keita Kurihara, who packs a 19-8-1 win-loss-draw record with 16 knockouts.

“We are up against a tough and hard-hitting champion,” two-division world champion Gerry Peñalosa, who manages Llover, told DAILY TRIBUNE.

Llover, parading a 13-0-0 card with eight knockouts, made waves in Osaka last 15 December, knows the huge risks he is about to undertake but knows the reward once he gets the job done.

Against Tulio Dekanarudo in his last outing, Llover fought like Manny Pacquiao on his way to a resounding KO victory in less than a minute, a feat that caught the fancy of every fight fan who got mesmerized by his power and bravado.

“One thing that I like about him is his killer instinct. He is a terrific finisher and his first-round knockout victory in Osaka is a testament to his incredible punching and killer instinct,” Peñalosa said, stressing that the two traits are vital in a fighter’s arsenal.

Trained by one-time world flyweight title challenger Jonathan Peñalosa, who is Gerry’s elder brother, Llover is rated No. 13 by the International Boxing Federation.

Another sensational win next month should boost his rating as he dreams of not just fighting for a world title but to win one and hold it for a long time.

Llover, one of the country’s brightest prospects for a world title, is currently based in General Trias in Cavite.

If he bags the Orient championship next month, Llover would like to shoot for a world championship before the end of 2025.

But first, the puncher nicknamed “The Lover Boy” must get past Kurihara on hostile ground.