Filipino boxing star Kenneth Llover defeats Luis Concepcion to stay unbeaten

Rising Filipino boxing star Kenneth Llover took another massive step forward in his young career, stopping former two-division world champion Luis Concepcion in eight rounds during their non-title bantamweight bout on Sunday, August 17, at the Winford Hotel and Casino in Manila.

The 22-year-old Llover, who currently holds the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Bantamweight Championship, showed poise, patience, and power as he systematically broke down the seasoned Panamanian fighter.

Llover appeared on the verge of an early stoppage after flooring Concepcion in both the second and third rounds, but the veteran survived both knockdowns with the help of the bell. Still, Llover stayed composed and continued to pressure Concepcion until the referee stepped in to stop the fight at the 2:27 mark of the eighth round.

“He [Concepcion] is very tough and strong. I hit him hard so many times, but he refused to go down. The first two times I knocked him down, I looked at his legs and they remained steady. From there, I knew it would take time to finish him,” Llover said post-fight.

The victory marks another impressive performance for Llover, who entered the bout after scoring two quick finishes against Japanese opponents — one in just 58 seconds, the other in 2 minutes and 33 seconds.

Llover admitted that Concepcion tested his patience and forced him to stay disciplined in the ring.

22yr old 🇵🇭 Kenneth Llover (15-0, 10 KOs) scores knockdowns in the 2nd & 3rd and then forces a TKO-8 stoppage win over 39yr old former world champion Luis Concepcion (40-12) in their bantamweight main event from Manila, Philippines 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/TIf0HkkAtO

— TimBoxeo (@TimBoxeo) August 17, 2025

“Nung tinamaan ko siya sa body shot na nakita ko talagang nasaktan siya, sabi ko, ‘Ito na yun.’ I told myself, this is the moment God gave me — so I didn’t let it slip. Boxing isn’t easy. It takes step-by-step work, patience, and timing. When you get the timing right, that’s it — boxing’s over,” he said.

He also credited his corner, including former world champion Gerry Peñalosa, for keeping him calm under pressure.

The General Trias native remains undefeated with a perfect 15-0 record, including 10 knockouts. Meanwhile, Concepcion, a former WBA world titleholder in two divisions, drops to 40 wins and 12 losses, with 29 knockouts.

“This was a huge fight for me,” Llover added. “At my young age, I got to fight a two-time world champion. That’s no joke. It gave me valuable experience.”

Llover now sets his sights on an even bigger stage. He is scheduled to return to the ring on October 26 in a world title eliminator against South Africa’s Landile Ngxeke.

“I will train even harder for this fight in October,” he said. “I want to bring pride to the Philippines and to all the people supporting me.”

With little time to rest, Llover is expected to resume training soon as he looks to continue his unbeaten rise in the international boxing scene.

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