CASIMERO SPARS TEN ROUNDS, READY FOR IBF TITLE ELIMINATOR
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 02 Dec 2014
Former IBF light flyweight champion and current No. 3 ranked flyweight Johnreil Casimero capped his preparations for a mandatory title eliminator against tough Armando ?Cobra? Santos on December 13 in Hidalgo, Mexico with ten solid rounds of sparring on Monday at the gym of Dr. Rajan Yraola in Quezon City.
Yraola told the Manila Standard/Viva Sports that Casimero sparred with Philippine flyweight champion Ardin Diale and WBO Oriental super flyweight champion Warlito Parrenas and ?looked good.?
Promoter Sammy Gello-ani said he was ?happy with the outcome ?of Casimero?s preparation under veteran trainer Jun Agrabio and that they will ?concentrate on his weight? when they leave for Mexico on Sunday.
The 24 year old Casimero who has a record of 20-2 with 12 knockouts moved up in weight after he failed to make the 108 pound limit in his last title defense against Mauricio Fuentes whom he knocked out in the 1st round last May 3.
The 26 year old Santos has a record of 14-3-1 with 8 knockouts and was held to a a ten round draw in his last fight against Javier Franco on August 30 this year.
Santos won the IBF International flyweight title with a twelve round majority decision over Romania?s Silvio Olteanu on February 1, 2014 after earlier capturing the USNBC title with a unanimous twelve round decision over Filipino Roilo Golez on August 24, 2013.
Two of the three losses of Santos were against top class opponents. He dropped a ten round unanimous decision to current WBC super flyweight champion Carlos ?Principe? Cuadras on June 17, 2011 before Cuadras became a world champion and also lost by a unanimous eight round decision to former WBC champion Toshiyuki Igarashi on November 6, 2010 before Igarashi went on to win the world title.
Filipino boxing judge Jonathan Davis who now officiates in the US reported that Santos ?was tight and fought in the trenches throughout all twelve rounds? of his clash with Olteanu.
Davis said Santos ?worked behind a steady jab as a decoy for his follow-up straight to the face of his shorter foe.?
It was the third regional title won by Santos following his win over Golez in a USNBC title fight and his May 2013 NABF championship victory over Herald Molina whom he knocked out.
Casimero is best remembered for the post-fight riot in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires when he won the IBF light flyweight title with a 10th round TKO over hometown favorite Luis Lazarte whose trucker friends rioted when the decision was announced with Casimero, Sammy Gello-ani and American Sean Gibbons getting hurt in the melee.
The reigning IBF champion is Amnat Ruenroeng of Thailand who won a split decision over Puerto Rico?s McWilliams Arroyo on September 19, 2014 after Arroyo earned the title shot with a 2nd round TKO over previously undefeated Filipino Froilan ?The Sniper? Saludar on June 19, 2014 in Puerto Rico.
Photo: Casimero (L) in action against Felipe Salguero of Mexico.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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