THE COLORFUL FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 14 Sep 2016
The recent victory of John Riel Casimero by 10th round TKO over Englishman Charlie Edwards right in his own turf in London cemented the Ormoc City-born boxer?s hold of the piece of the flyweight crown. Casimero won the IBF flyweight title on May 25, 2016, stopping Amnat Ruenroeng of Thailand for the IBF flyweight title via 4th round knockout.
His grasp of the belt just showed the Filipinos? historic dominance of the flyweight class. Several Filipino pugilists became world champions in the flyweight division, the most for our countrymen in one weight category. The past Pinoy fly champs were Pancho Villa, Little Dado, Erbito Salavarria, Frank Cedeno, Malcolm Tunacao, Sonny Boy Jaro, Bernabe Villacampo, Brian Villoria, Dodie Boy Penalosa, Nonito Donaire, and Manny Pacquiao.
The other parts of the world flyweight title were held by world pound-for-pound king Nicaraguan Roman ?Chocolatito? Gonzalez, who sits on the WBC and The Ring thrones, likewise being the Lineal flyweight champ.
The longest reigning Filipino champion, the WBO light-flyweight titleholder Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes, had relinquished his belt, to campaign in the flyweight category. He was slated to challenge WBO and WBA unified flyweight champion Mexican Juan Francisco Estrada. But Estrada was scheduled to face WBA regular champion Kazuto Ioka of Japan.
Nietes instead will clash with former WBC lightflyweight champion. He hopes that a victory will arrange finally a championship with Estrada on September 24, 2016.
Both Casimero and Nietes are interested to challenge the Nicaraguan Gonzalez. Gonzalez was fresh from a unanimous decision win over WBC superlyweight champion Carlos Cuadras of Mexico and added a fourth title belt. But Gonzalez tasted stiff opposition from Cuadras and the champion?s eyes and face were swollen when the bell sounded at the end of the 12th and final round.
Should Gonzalez opt to remain in the flyweight division, then a big possibility to fight either of the two Filipino flyweight champions is looming. Both ?Ahas? and ?Quadro Alas? are capable of giving ?Chocolatito? a run for his money.
A chance to challenge Gonzalez for his world flyweight title and pound-for-pound throne would be a once-in-a-lifetime confrontation for either Nietes or Casimero. Nietes is still The Ring lightflyweight champion but he needs a big break to cross the threshold of boxing stardom. Casimero equally needs a booster of a world title fight to carve a trendy boxing career.
Truly for Filipino boxers, the flyweight division is a colorful and famous weight category where different fighters gave honor and glory for our country.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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