Llover claims OPBF title with stunning 1st rd. TKO win in Japan
Gerry Penalosa poses for a photo with his protege Kenneth Llover after the fight. | Photo from Penalosa’s Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippines – One of the Philippines’ most promising young prospects, Kenneth “Lover Boy” Llover, claimed the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) interim bantamweight title with a stunning first-round technical knockout (TKO) victory over Japanese fighter Tulio Dekanarudo in Osaka on Sunday, December 15.
The unbeaten Llover, just 21 years old, wasted no time making an impact in his debut fight in Japan’s bustling boxing scene. From the opening bell, he unleashed a barrage of vicious combinations that immediately forced Dekanarudo into a defensive posture.
Llover’s jabs and powerful left straights cut through Dekanarudo’s defenses, and it was the left straight that particularly rocked the Japanese boxer’s head back.
READ: Llover beats veteran foe, now a WBC regional champion
A follow-up right hook sent Dekanarudo crashing down to the canvas midway through the first round.
Displaying resilience, Dekanarudo managed to get back on his feet, but he was clearly dazed, clinging to the ropes for support.
READ: Llover beats Omega Boxing Gym’s Cañete in PBF bantamweight duel
IMPRESSIVE VICTORY
Sensing his opponent’s vulnerability, the referee stepped in and halted the fight at the 58-second mark of the opening round, awarding Llover the impressive victory.
With this win, Llover maintains his perfect record, now standing at 13-0 with 8 knockouts. The victory also drew pride and admiration from his manager and promoter, former two-division world champion Gerry Penalosa, who watched from ringside.
Meanwhile, the 28-year-old Dekanarudo suffered his third loss in 13 professional bouts, dropping to a record of 10-3-2 with 4 knockouts.
For Llover, this win marks a significant achievement as Dekanarudo becomes his second foreign opponent.
In his previous outing last August, Llover defeated Chinese fighter Chengcheng Yang by unanimous decision in Manila, securing the WBO Asia Pacific Youth bantamweight title.
On the other hand, Dekanarudo’s victory over Filipino Eric Pulgo in 2019 remains his only win against a Filipino boxer.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
