CASIMERO'S PATIENCE PAYS OFF AS HE WAYLAYS TETE FOR 3RD ROUND TKO VICTORY (PHOTOS)
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 01 Dec 2019
Photos by Sumio Yamada at ringsie.
Patience is a virtue.
I say amen to that, especially in boxing when patience is combined with proper timing and execution and application of power. It always delivers.
And once again, it delivered the win for Johnriel Casimero and on the road as he stopped the higHly touted Zolani Tete in the third round to become the new full fledged WBO world bantamweight champion before a shocked pro Tete crowd at the Arena Birmingham in Birmingham, UK Saturday night.
Casimero just kept his cool and poise as the tall and lanky South African carefully measured him and proceeded to keep him at the end of his long jabs and straights in the first two rounds of their scheduled 12 round title main event bout in Tete's adopted second home. The Filipino in fact barely made some offensive moves of his own, electing to concentrate on defense and studying his South African opponent who was also known for packing power in his punches.
Johnriel Casimero drops Zolani Tete for the first in the fight early of the third round of their 12th round scheduled contest at Arena Birmingham in Birmingham, UK Nov. 30, 2019.
Tete, though wary also of Casimero's vaunted punching power and aware that keeping him at bay was key to neutralizing the Filipino and his fight plan, got so emboldened by the tepid showing of his opponent that he thought he had the fight under control.
Hence, when the third round bell rang, Tete was looking to even up the pressure and really take the fight to the Filipino. That proved to be his undoing.
Like a possum poised for a lethal strike at the first fatal mistake of an ever striking cobra, Casimero took full advantage of the opportunity and opening Tete presented as the South African pressed the action.
Casimero (R) drops Tete for the second time.
Boom! Casimero connected with the first real powerful punch he had thrown thus far, a ponderous right hook that caught Tete by surprise and sent him crashing to the canvas.
Tete rose up but his legs were unsteady and he never fully recovered.
Casimero went for the kill and landed a left hook high the head of the five inches taller Tete that sent him face first into the ropes where after the hapless South African took two more punches, referee Steve Gray decided he had seen enough and waved the fight off.
Referee Steve Gray stops the fight as Casimero celebrates.
The Filipino was officially declared winner by technical knockout as the dejected Tete could only bow his head in acceptance of his defeat, his first after a 12 bout winning streak dating back to 2012 and his first knockout loss since his fight with fellow South African Murothi Mthalane earlier in his career.
It was Casimero's fifth straight win, all via the short route since coming back late last year after his career went into limbo as he was forced for the second time to relinquish his world title due to weight problems.
He had previously won the IBF light flyweight title by stopping Luis Lazarte in Mar de Plata, Argentina in 2012 in a bout infamous for fan riot and attack on the Filipino corner who were only saved by the timely intervention of the police.
After making four successful title defenses, mostly on the road, including against Mexican then future world champion Pedro Guevarra in Mexico, Casimero had to surrender the belt at the weight scales in his last defense held in the Philippines.
Team Casimero celebrates.
Casimero then wrested the WBC flyweight crown from the head of the very difficult Amnat Ruenroeng after patiently enduring the Thai's fouling tactics and proceeding to knock him out in the fourth round in Beijing in 2016. The two had previously met in Bangkok where Amnat fouled his way to a points victory that so scandalized the WBC that it ordered the immediate rematch in a neutral country.
Casimero made one successful defense in his first fight in the UK stopping his future successor Charlie Edwards in the tenth round. But again, he had to vacate his throne due weight issues.
He then lost to fellow Pinoy Jonas Sultan in 2017 in an IBF super flyweight title eliminator where he appeared listless and sluggish. And his career seemed to go nowhere.
But his camp never gave up on him and with Casimero rediscovering his virtues of patience and perseverance, he went on to rededicate himself to boxing as a new born star in the loaded bantamweight division.
As in his previous major fights and victories, many did not give Casimero a big chance at winning over Tete but he proved them wrong each time The victory is just the latest in a long string of on the road wins for Casimero who has bolstered his reputation as a fierce road warrior not afraid of fighting anyone in his own backyard.
Overall, he is now 29-4-0 with 20 of his wins coming by knockout.
He has now set his eyes on the division's biggest star-- Naoya Inoue.
That bears watching if his virtue of patience and hard work will help pull him through---again.
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:
Signed, Sealed… but Still Unsettled: Unanswered Questions Hang Over Fury-Joshua Ahead of Expected Ink
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Wed, 29 Jul 2026VETERAN SAVVY VS UNDEFEATED POWER: MUGICHA NAKAGAWA VS LEMUEL DE BARBO AUGUST 1 IN LA TRINIDAD
By Carlos Costa, Wed, 29 Jul 2026SKYE NICOLSON TO DEFEND WORLD TITLE AGAINST MIYO YOSHIDA ON AUG 29 IN BIRMINGHAM AS MATCHROOM AND MVP ANNOUNCE ALLIANCE
Wed, 29 Jul 2026Tickets for Martinez vs. Plantic in Los Angles, Saturday, August 29
Wed, 29 Jul 2026Grandy Twins Celebrate Milestone 18th Birthday, Set to Shine at BiYu Promotions' "Fights Under the Lights" on August 14
Tue, 28 Jul 2026Sergeev and Lubkovich set for key bouts at WINLINE. IBA.PRO 20 in Naberezhnye Chelny
Tue, 28 Jul 2026Hard-hitting SEA Games bronze medalist Mark Ashley Fajardo signs with Sanman Boxing
Tue, 28 Jul 2026THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 27 JULY 2026: Tszyu vs Spence, Return of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury Highlight Busy Week
By Eric Armit, Tue, 28 Jul 2026The Legacy Continues: Team Durán Prepares for Historic Panama-Mexico Showdown
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Tue, 28 Jul 2026NM Ric Portugalera Tops Hongkong Blitz Chess
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 28 Jul 2026Nurghali gets second shot at Japparbergenov’s bantamweight title at International Boxing Day in Astana
Tue, 28 Jul 2026Champion's Mindset: Gustavo Trujillo Ready to Defend BKB Heavyweight Title Against Mark O'Neil at BKB 58
Tue, 28 Jul 2026Spanish boxer Eddine has been Hospitalized in Spain
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Tue, 28 Jul 2026PH football in group C, G
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 28 Jul 2026PHILBOXING.COM MONDAY ROUNDUP: Tszyu Outclasses Spence in Sydney as "The Truth" Retires; Heavyweight Drama in Pattaya and Jeddah
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Mon, 27 Jul 2026