The Pinoy Bantamweight Bubble: How Long Will It Last?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 08 Feb 2021
L-R: Pinoy bantams Casimero, Donaire and Gaballo.
Bubble (noun)- Used to refer to a good or fortunate situation that is isolated from reality or unlikely to last.
Philippine boxing has been experiencing a bubble at bantamweight division for at least the last couple of years now with Nonito Donaire and Johnriel Casimero for a time simultaneously reigning as world champions, and a slew of other Filipino fighters holding top contender positions in various major boxing bodies.
Though Donaire is no longer WBA super world titleholder, Reymart Gaballo has stepped up to accompany WBO champion Casimero, having won the WBC interim bantamweight title last December.
Meanwhile, Michael Dasmarinas has kept his position as mandatory challenger to Naoya Inoue for the IBF crown, their fight reportedly already being worked out to be held in Japan this April. Inoue also holds the WBA title he won from Donaire in December 2019.
Donaire on the other hand remains the mandatory challenger to France's WBC regular champion Nordine Oubaali despite their supposed scheduled title fight not pushing through last December. Both were unable to fight when they, one after the other tested positive of Covid-19.
The WBC decided to replace Donaire with Gaballo in its mandated substitute fight versus Puerto Rican ex IBF titlist and then WBC #2 rated Emmanuel Rodriguez for the interim WBC title. Gaballo won by disputed split decision becoming the WBC interim bantamweight titleholder.
Mike Plania, another Filipino fighter campaigning in the US, also contributed to the current bubble by beating highly rated American Joshua Greer by unanimous decision in one of the few marquee bouts marking the return of pro boxing after the Covid-19 lockdown. As a result, Plania is now rated #2 by the WBO.
The next coming months will tell if the bubble will continue to hold.
Casimero is reportedly set to defend his WBO title against former unified super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux who has moved down to the 118 lbs and is currently a WBA secondary belt holder next to Inoue. The fight most likely will be held in the US.
Casimero's fight versus Rigondeaux will be his second defense of the WBO title he won in November 2019 by shock two round demolition of the then highly touted South African Zolani Tete in the UK. Casimero made a rousing first defense of the WBO title by a dominant fifth round stoppage of Ghana's Duke Micah in the US in September last year after Inoue and Arum reneged on their earlier commitment for a unification fight.
It is very important for Casimero to win over Rigondeaux not only to avenge Donaire's 2013 defeat to the Cuban former two time Olympic gold medalist and claim his illustrious scalp, but also to keep his chase of Inoue going.
Gaballo has been ordered by the WBC to defend his interim title against Rodriguez in an immediate rematch. The WBC also ordered negotiations between the Gaballo and Rodriguez camps to proceed as soon as possible for this fight or it will hold its own purse bidding if no agreements are reached within a specified deadline. It is important for Gaballo to secure at least a neutral venue for the rematch as he might as well kiss his title goodbye if the fight is to land in Puerto Rico
Dasmarinas is reportedly being eyed by Inoue for the Japanese first major fight this 2021 in fulfillment of his IBF title mandatory defense obligation. Inoue wants the fight to be held in Japan despite his contract with Bob Arum who is keen on making him a household name in the US.
Though Dasmarinas name has been mentionad as Inoue's most likely next title opponent, there is also a slim possibility of Jerwin Ancajas, our long reigning IBF super flyweight champion, getting considered as both Inoue and Ancajas are under Arum's Top Rank Promotion. Late last year, Arum reportedly was broaching with the idea of an Inoue vs Ancajas fight following Inoue's not so hot showing in the US against Jason Moloney.
What is apparent here is that Inoue or Arum or both are not ready yet for a confrontation with Casimero.
Donaire has still his eyes on winning the WBC title but he may have to wait for until the second half of the year to get his hands on Oubaali assumimg the Frenchman disposes of his Thai challenger, Nawaphon Kankhaika, in a choice defense this March or April in Paris. But by that time, Nonito will be out of the ring for nearly a year and a half.
It is also important for Donaire to focus on becoming world champion again by winning the WBC crown (once more after reigning as WBC titlist in the early 2010s) in his second tour of duty as bantamweight as he also has an unfinished business with Inoue.
Meanwhile, Plania has to keep on winning not only to keep his lofty ranking but to earn a crack at any of the world titles in the division or the next higher class, the superbantam where he is also rated.
Hopefully, the bubble will last until Casimero and/or Donaire (again) get a hold of Inoue.
"The Monster" Inoue may be the acknowledged king of the bantams. But the crown on his head remains unsteady with these Pinoy champions and challengers hounding him.
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.
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