Llover battles adroit Angeletti for IBF title shot

Heavy-handed southpaw Kenneth Llover, regarded as the country’s brightest bet for a world crown, makes a big step towards achieving that goal when he faces undefeated American Michael Angeletti on 6 June in Nagoya, Japan.

The clash has been billed a title eliminator for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight title being held by Jose Salas Reyes of Mexico.

According to Gerry Peñalosa, the two-division world champion who manages Llover, a copy of the contract is arriving anytime from Japan.

Kameda Promotions is putting up the fight.

Knowing the magnitude of the fight and Angeletti’s superb skillset, Llover, nicknamed “Lover Boy,” will be setting up camp in Tagaytay City.

“Kenneth is up against a very good fighter in Angeletti and we will put our best foot forward in the preparations,” Peñalosa said.

Llover, holding a 17-0-0 win-loss-draw record with 12 knockouts, has actually been training the last few weeks.

“I have seen him in the gym and he has also been doing roadwork in the mountains,” Peñalosa said.

Angeletti, also unbeaten with a 14-0-0 card with eight knockouts, is a highly-scientific fighter whose style is a mix of Roy Jones Jr. and Floyd Mayweather given his vast amateur background.

The Louisiana-born Angeletti is also tall for a bantamweight and boasts of blinding speed, traits that could cause king-size problems for the ultra-aggressive Llover.

But Peñalosa is unfazed, confident that the Llover, 23, has what it takes to solve a puzzle like Angeletti, 29.

“This is a very tough fight but if there is one guy who can pull this off, that guy would be Kenneth,” Peñalosa added.