NAGOYA, Japan — Kenneth Llover vividly remembers the first time he put on a pair of boxing gloves.

Inspired and moved by what he had just seen, then 16-year-old Llover came out of their residence and began swinging, mimicking the moves by his idol Manny Pacquiao.

“He is the reason why I got into boxing,” said Llover, who gets a big opportunity to become even bigger when he meets undefeated American Michael Angeletti on Saturday in their International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight title fight at the Aichi Sky Expo.

Llover, whose exciting fighting style is likened to Pacquiao, had to get rid of excess baggage during the weighin after coming in 200 grams over.

In contrast, Angeletti breezed through the pre-fight ritual and registered 117.8 on the electronic scales.

Given two hours to reduce weight, Llover came back just 30 minutes after going a little over at 118.2.

His entire team celebrated when he was cleared by Japanese Boxing Commission officials, officially tipping in at a shade under 118 pounds.

Llover’s being a late-comer in the fight game didn’t prevent oddsmakers from installing him as the favorite to secure a shot at the current IBF bantamweight champion Jose Salas Reyes of Mexico.

“Given that he didn’t have any amateur background makes him a gifted fighter,” said two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa, who handles the affairs of the Cavite-bred lefty.

Llover insists that the lack of experience is not preventing him from making progress.

“Normally, boxers fought in the amateurs but as for myself, the only experience I have were the fights that I had on the streets,” said the 23-year-old Llover.

Would that and his special skills and paralyzing power be enough to propel him past the seasoned Angeletti?

Llover thinks so.