By REYNALD MAGALLON
Filipino fighters Kenneth Llover and John Riel Casimero cleared significant pre-fight hurdles on Friday as they gear up for separate but equally important bouts on Saturday, June 6, at the Aichi Sky Expo in Japan.
Llover overcame a minor weigh-in scare to keep his world title aspirations alive, while Casimero proved true to his words of reclaiming his lost glory after comfortably making weight for his clash against former world title challenger Luis Nery.
The unbeaten Llover needed a second attempt to make the bantamweight limit for his International Boxing Federation (IBF) title eliminator against American Michael Angeletti.
The 23-year-old prospect from General Trias, Cavite initially tipped the scales at 118.4 pounds, slightly above the 118-pound limit, before successfully shedding the excess weight and returning at 117.8 pounds. Angeletti had no issues making weight, registering 117.5 pounds.
Despite the brief hiccup, Team Llover remained confident heading into the biggest fight of his career.
Llover brings a spotless 17-0 record into the contest, while Angeletti also enters unbeaten at 14-0. The winner is expected to earn a shot at IBF bantamweight champion Jose Salas Reyes.
Meanwhile, Casimero appeared to have already won half the battle against Nery after comfortably making weight for their 124-pound catchweight showdown.
The former three-division world champion, who was hampered by weight management issues in the past, weighed in at 123.5 pounds, well within the agreed limit.
In a surprising twist, it was Nery, this time, who failed to make weight, coming in at 127.2 pounds on his first attempt. The Mexican fighter was given an additional hour to trim the excess but still weighed 127 pounds during the second attempt.
Despite missing weight, the bout will proceed as scheduled under the 3150Fight card promoted by Kameda Promotions. Nery is still required to undergo another weigh-in with a hydration limit.
The former world title challenger, who previously challenged Naoya Inoue, could also face disciplinary action from the Japan Boxing Commission, including a possible suspension of his license.
