OPBF bantamweight titlist Kenneth Llover wasted no time in showing China’s Ayati Sailike who’s boss in his title defense.
Kenneth Llover needed just two rounds to retain his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight crown after he knocked out China’s Ayati Sailike at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Japan on Saturday.
Llover, 22, claimed the 17th victory in his career with his demolition of Sailike. It's also his 12th knockout.
The mismatch proved obvious from the get-go with Sailike being floored twice before the referee put a stop to the bleeding. Llover was the clear aggressor from the start of the bout, with the Filipino needing to urge his opponent to engage midway through the first round.
Despite Llover’s clear advantage, the win did him good as he continued to keep his unbeaten record.
Sailike, meanwhile, dropped to 12-10.
Casimero gets triumphant return
At the same venue, Llover’s compatriot John Riel Casimero made a victorious return to the ring in Japan after completing a one-year ban.
Casimero likewise made quick work of his foe, Japan’s Tom Mizokoshi, by ending the bout in the fifth round of their eight-round featherweight clash.
The 36-year-old punished Mizokoshi with combinations that had the home bet bleeding in the fifth stanza where he was sent to the floor by Casimero in the first 30 seconds — however, it was ruled a slip.
It was only a matter of time, though, before Casimero finished the job with a combination that ended the match for good.
Casimero improved to a 35-5-1 win-loss-draw record, registering 24 knockout wins in the process while his Japanese rival fell to 11-6-2.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.