STORY OF PHILIPPINE BOXING PART LVII: JOHNRIEL CASIMERO, WORLD LIGHT FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 10 Jul 2020
Johnriel Casimero was born on February 13, 1990 in Ormoc City, Leyte. His moniker is Quadro Alas which means Four Aces.
He had his professional debut on June 3, 2007 winning over Lobert Bayo by unanimous decision at Barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City.
In his succeeding fights, he stopped Andrew Pal by 2nd round TKO, Dodong Zalde by 2nd round KO, Jerome Bontog by 3rd round KO, Roel Honor by 1st round TKO, and Roemart Sentillas by 3rd round TKO.
Casimero also defeated by UD, Rogen Flores by TD, and Daryl Amoncio by MD.
On August 23, 2008, Casimero defeated Rodel Quilaton for the vacant Philippines Boxing Federeration (PBF) flyweight title, winning a unanimous decision at the Eusebio Sestoso Memorial Coliseum, Alcoy, Cebu.
In his 11th fight, he defeated his first foreign opponent, Thailand's Liempetch Sor Veerapol by 5th round TKO on October 3, 2008 at the Talisay Sports Complex, Talisay, Cebu and won the vacant WBO Asia Pacific flyweight title.
His next victim was countryman Allan Ranada by 8th round UD on May 8, 2009 at Naga Sports Complex, Naga City, Cebu.
Casimero successfully defended his WBO Asia Pacific title by stopping fellow Filipino Ardin Diale by 8th round KO on May 28 2009 at the Cebu Coliseum, Cebu City.
On December 19, 2009, Casimero won the vacant interim WBO light flyweight title, by defeating former interim WBA light flyweight champion César Canchila of Colombia at the Dennis Martínez National Stadium, Managua, Nicaragua.
Casimero fought a magnificent bout, the fight was his first match outside the country. He floored Canchila several times until the referee finally stopped the bout in the 11th round of the interim title fight.
Casimero fought Mexico's Ramón García Hirales on July 3, 2010 for his first defense of the interim WBO light flyweight title but lost by split decision at the Polideportivo Centenario, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.
Casimero did well in the early rounds, but fatigue caught him in the middle rounds and Hirales dominated the fight till the end. Only American judge Joe Garcia favored Casimero, 115-113. While the other two were Mexicans, Rosario Lizarraga and Alejandro Lopez Cid both scored 115-113 for their countryman Hirales.
Casimero again lost to South African Moruti Mthalane by 5th round TKO on March 26, 2011 at the Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa for the IBF junior flyweight title.
He regained his old fierce form by annihilating Roemart Sentillas by 2nd round TKO on October 15, 2011 at the Hoops Dome, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
On February 11, 2012, Casimero and his team were attacked by a hostile crowd in Argentina after his spectacular 10th-round knockout of local Argentine fighter Luis Alberto Lazarte at the Estadio Club Once Unidos in Mar del Plata, Argentina for the vacant IBF interim junior flyweight championship.
He floored Lazarte twice in the 9th round and knocked the Argentinian again in the 10th prompting the referee to stop the fight. The fans of Lazarte started throwing chairs and debris right after the referee declared Casimero the winner.
The police escorted Casimero and his team to their hotel and provided security for the visiting Filipinos. Lazarte later visited them to apologize.
On July 19, 2012, Casimero was declared as the regular IBF junior flyweight world champion because of the inability of Ulises Solis to defend his title on or before October 30, 2011 because of injuries sustained in a street fight with fellow Mexican fighter Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 29 JUNE 2026
By Eric Armit, Tue, 30 Jun 2026Clarion to leave on July 2 for WBC Youth title
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 30 Jun 2026Gustavo Trujillo Stays Undefeated with Devastating Seventh-Round Knockout at Fist of Fury 11
Tue, 30 Jun 2026World Boxing Council Unveils Special July 4th Commemorative Belt Honoring USA 250th Anniversary
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Tue, 30 Jun 202612-Year-Old Filipina Memory Prodigy Georgina Santos to Represent the Philippines in Two World Memory Championships
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 30 Jun 2026World championship mega-fight between Christian Mbilli and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez postponed to October
Mon, 29 Jun 2026Filipino Jonas Magpantay wins Indonesia; pockets $15,000, gains steam heading to Vietnam
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 29 Jun 2026Ex-kickboxer to debut in MMA Slugfest
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 29 Jun 2026Deaño settles to a draw
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 28 Jun 2026Abdyrakhmanov defeats Kadiev, Kudryashov knocks out Yousefi at IBA Bare Knuckle 5 in Moscow
Sun, 28 Jun 2026WBC declares German Agit Kabayel new WBC heavyweight champion after Usyk relinquishes his title
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sun, 28 Jun 20264th Gov. RST MMA Slugfest on July 3
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 28 Jun 2026Chezka Centeno ready for world 10-ball title defense
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 27 Jun 2026Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis: Breakout Moment in Brooklyn
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 27 Jun 2026GAB Must Look Into Exploitation of Rated Filipino Fighters in Japan
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Sat, 27 Jun 2026