INOUE-CASIMERO UNIFICATION TALK FIZZLES OUT
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 05 Dec 2019
TOKYO – The spirit is willing but the body is weak.
The much talked about Inoue-Casimero unification fight has been placed in the back burner for now as restrain got the better of passion.
“I talked to Mr. Honda [Inoue's Japanese promoter] regarding the [proposed Inoue-Casimero] fight,” MP Promotions Sean Gibbons told Philboxing. “Inoue needs to heal first. That's the verdict.”
Top Rank's Carl Moretti also echoed Gibbons' words. “No negotiations for now as Inoue is still nursing an injury. But that fight is going to happen,” Moretti said. “It could be Inoue's next fight or it could be the fight after next but it's going to happen.”
Inoue suffered a pair of fractures from around his right eye during his classic battle against Filipino star Nonito Donaire Jnr for the WBSS bantamweight finals last Nov. 7 in Saitama, 30 kilometers north of Tokyo. Inoue has been scheduled to be evaluated again this month to see the progress of his healing.
Casimero dispatched long time WBO bantamweight champion Zolani Tete last Saturday in England and immediately called out Inoue for battle. Inoue immediately responded on his social media account saying “I like the Casimero fight.”
Casimero, who was invited to the WBO convention in Japan but could not come due to the lack of time of securing a Japanese visa, sent a video message that was played during the convention. In the video, Casimero thanked WBO president Paco Valcalcer for the invite and reiterated his desire to fight 'The Monster' Inoue next.
Valcarcel earlier told the Japanese press that he would like to have a unification fight between WBO champion Casimero and IBF/WBA champion Inoue.
For the meantime, Gibbons said he would let Casimero take a rest, enjoy his victory against Tete, “and then we will plot our next move.” The supremely busy Gibbons will fly to Mexico from Japan for the Dec. 7 Jerwin Ancajas' title defense against Miguel Gonzalez of Peru. Gibbons' son Brandon, meanwhile, will be in New York for the Marlon Tapales vs Ryosuke Iwasa fight at the Barclays Center on the undercard of the Jermall Charlo vs Dennis Hogan WBC middleweight championship.
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