Rush hour

Gerry Peñalosa, the prized puncher who won two world titles in different weight classes, has grand plans for the country’s brightest prospect for a world title.

A little over a week before Kenneth Llover meets two-division champion Luis Concepcion of Panama in a non-title but high-stakes ten-rounder, Peñalosa expressed concern over the outcome of the 17 August showdown at the Winford Resort and Casino.

“I just hope and pray that everything turns out well and he doesn’t get injured or cut,” Peñalosa said of Llover, whose Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight crown won’t be on the line.

It is vital that Llover, 22, undefeated in 14 fights with nine knockouts, emerges unscathed against Concepcion, according to Peñalosa, who acts as the Cavite-based puncher’s official representative.

If Llover takes care of business without any complications, he will travel to Japan in October in the pursuit of expediting his crack at the world 118-pound title.

Peñalosa said Kameda Promotions will be arranging a world title elimination match between Llover and South African Landile Ngxeke on 12 October for the soon-to-be-vacated International Boxing Federation (IBF) throne.

Presently, Japanese Junto Nakatani holds the IBF belt but reports have been surfacing that the long-armed bomber is going to vacate it in preparation for his proposed invasion of the super-bantamweight class and a potential megafight against Naoya “Monster” Inoue late this year or in 2026.

Llover, also rated by the World Boxing Council, has been training in his homebase of General Trias, Cavite, and Parañaque, the past few weeks in preparation for Concepcion.

His last two fights lasted a total of just two rounds.

Last December in Osaka, Llover only needed 58 seconds to knock out Tulio Dekanarudo and in March this year in Tokyo, he blasted out Keita Kurihara in two minutes and 38 seconds to bag the OPBF strap.

Meanwhile, Llover is relocating to Metro Manila this coming week in time for the festivities during fight week.

Concepcion, who will be fighting for the first time in two years, is likewise expected to touch down in Manila on Sunday.

A press conference is set this Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Winford followed by the official weighin on Friday at 9:30 a.m. Action on fight day kicks off at 4 p.m.