Knockout artist Kenneth Llover didn’t mince any words when asked who he wants next.
Moments after dismantling defending champion Keita Kurihara in less than a round Monday to snatch the Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight title, the Filipino southpaw blurted out a familiar name.
“I want Nakatani next,” Llover said after knocking down Kurihara twice and racking him badly that forced the referee’s stoppage with 30 seconds left in the opening round at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Llover, just 22 and oozing with swagger and bravado, believes he is ripe for a shot at Junto Nakatani, the reigning World Boxing Council titleholder.
But based on Nakatani’s timetable, it doesn’t look as if Llover’s wish is going to be granted at this point in time.
Gerry Peñalosa, the two-division world champion who manages the Llover, is not brushing it off although he has a solid Plan B already in place.
Apparently, interest in Llover, christened as “The Lover Boy” by his benefactor Dioceldo Sy, is tremendous following his smashing showing Monday before stunned Japanese fans.
“I have been getting a lot of calls. My phone just keeps on ringing and I am getting inquiries and congratulatory messages, too,” said Peñalosa, who tagged along his wife Goody and son Julio Caesar, in the Tokyo capital to watch.
Peñalosa said the camp of current World Boxing Association bantam ruler Seiya Tsutsumi reached out once again.
“Even before, they have been reaching out to me expressing interest but just this morning, I got a message again from them asking for a meeting.”
Peñalosa said a late-June date has been floated as target but everything is still in the exploratory stage as Team Llover takes a much-needed break for the Cavite-based puncher’s latest feat.
Peñalosa, who became a world champion in Tokyo in 1997, feels his fighter is extraordinary.
“Maangas talaga at walang takot (He has a lot of swagger and shows no fear),” Peñalosa, now 52, said.
The victory raised Llover’s unbeaten record to 14-0 with nine knockouts and this latest quickie win was his second straight after his 60-second demolition of Tulio Dekanarudo last December in Osaka.
“This guy’s for real,” Peñalosa added.