Peñalosa To Test "Lover Boy" Llover Versus Accomplished Panamanian Veteran Concepcion
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 10 Jul 2025
Promoter Gerry Peñalosa will be testing the readiness of his young prized ward Kenneth Llover for the next level by pitting him against Luis Concepcion, an accomplished and tested Panamanian ring veteran and former two division world boxing champion.
Llover who is currently OPBF bantamweight champion will battle Concepcion, a Panamanian veteran of more than 50 bouts in the main event of a fight card to be held on August 17, 2025 at the Winford Resort Hotel in Manila.
Concepcion is also a former world champion at flyweight and super flyweight and counts on Khalid Yafai, Kohei Kono and Hernan "Tyson" Marquez, with whom he had a series of blockbuster fights, as among his more prominent victims.
Concepcion parades a 40-11 mark with 29 knockouts and promoter Gerry Peñalosa, also a two-division world champion like the Mexican puncher, believes Llover, who is unbeaten in 14 bouts, with nine wins by knockout, will be severely tested.
Peñalosa has witnessed Llover's fighting prowess when he scored back to back knockouts of Tulio Dekanarudo and Keita Kurihara in Japan to complete his conquest of the OPBF bantamweight crown in his last two fights, both held in Japan. That nearly prompted Peñalosa to mount a world title challenge of the Japanese fighters currently holding the world belts in the division.
But Gerry had a change of mind as he himself underwent further seasoning before challenging for a world title in his time.
Experience and ring maturity are something that cannot be taught in the gym, he believes.
"Concepcion is the most decorated foe yet for Llover. He brings a wealth of experience with over 50 fights. This fight will show how ready is for the next level. Fans can’t miss this one,” Peñalosa said.
Organised by Peñalosa's Gerrypens Promotion, the event will be co-promoted by Japan's Kameda Promotion whose chairman Koki Kameda, himself a former boxer and world titlist, reportedly will be coming over to watch the fight. It was Koki's brother Daiki whom Concepcion replaced as flyweight titlist when the former moved up in weight in the early 2000s.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Pavel Sosulin stops Victor Nagbe to remain unbeaten at IBA Pro 15 in Saint Petersburg
Fri, 13 Mar 2026Nicaraguan Boxing Commission hold Annual Awards to 2025 winners
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 13 Mar 2026BARBOZA JR. VS. SIMS JR. FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 13 Mar 2026Skye Nicolson Headlines Huge Matchroom Boxing Homecoming in Melbourne as New Kayo Sports TV Era Begins on April 29
Fri, 13 Mar 2026Five Boxers Advance on Day Five of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
Fri, 13 Mar 2026Canoy to fight Balidio on March 14 in Matanao
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 13 Mar 2026Weights From ProBoxTV’s ‘Lopez vs. Gallegos’ at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida, Tomorrow Night at 8 pm EDT
Fri, 13 Mar 2026Jonny Mansour Takes on William King as One Half of a Double Main Event at Frontwave Arena’s SD Fight Night: Family Business on Saturday, April 18, 2026
Fri, 13 Mar 2026Rising Contender Jalen “Skywalker” Walker Signs with Wise Owl Boxing
Fri, 13 Mar 2026Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: Unsung Heroes and the Value of Service
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Thu, 12 Mar 2026Ronald, eldest son of boxing legend Tommy Hearns, will be his guardian and conservator
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 12 Mar 2026Remembering Gilberto Mendoza in the 10th Anniversary of His Passing
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 12 Mar 2026Air Force, Elite teams in Best of the Best Karate tourney
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 12 Mar 2026Chavez brothers to return on April 25
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 12 Mar 2026ProBox & Teiken Announce Co-Promotional Deal with World-Ranked Bantamweight Contender Katsuma Akitsugi
Thu, 12 Mar 2026