NAGOYA, Japan — Michael Angeletti made a scathing remark on Friday, calling his Filipino rival Kenneth Llover a fraud just moments before the official weighin for their scheduled 12-round International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight title elimination match set Saturday at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname.
“He’s a fake Manny Pacquiao,” Angeletti told DAILY TRIBUNE as he and his team were waiting for a luxurious van that would ferry them to the venue.
“He’s a wannabe and I am going to expose him (Saturday),” Angeletti, lean and mean and holder of an unblemished 14-0 win-loss record with eight knockouts, said.
Aware that ringsiders have started to see similarities between the eight-division legend and Llover, Angeletti swears that he will post a sounding victory.
Llover, holder of a 17-0 slate with 12 knockouts, is the betting favorite.
The opening bell for this crucial clash is 3 p.m. (2 p.m. Manila time).
Angeletti insists that based on what he has seen up close, Llover, regarded as the Philippines’ brightest prospect for a world crown “looks drained and he looks sick.”
The American fighter, who arrived the day after Llover over the weekend, believes he has the southpaw Llover all figured out.
“It (knockout win) could be early. Depends on me. How I will feel when I wake up tomorrow. I might beat him up then stop him later.”
But one thing is certain, according to the rangy and crafty Texas-based Angeletti.
“It’s going to be a great day tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, since the fight is a world title eliminator sanctioned by the IBF, some of the officials are from overseas.
Koji Tanaka of Japan will be the third man on the ring while the three judges are Thai Cherdchai Srirat, Carl Zappia of Australia and Saemi Okaniwa of Japan.
But from what Angeletti has been saying, the judges’ score sheets would be rendered useless.
Can Angeletti really walk the walk and talk the talk?
Llover gets that chance to prove him wrong on fight day.