Breaking: Casimero versus Donaire - An All-Filipino Unification Fight on August 14
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 20 Jun 2021
Philippine boxing has really reached the crest!
In the old days, matchmakers will not put two Filipino world champions on the same weight division with two different belts in a unification fight in order to have more Filipino champions. “Mas mabuti kung marami tayong champions”, (It's better if we have more champions) they used to say.
But things had changed.
This change will be more vividly manifested on August 14th when WBO bantamweight king John Riel Casimero will tangle with Nonito Donaire, Jr., the new WBC bantamweight title holder.
Casimero was supposed to defend his belt against the Cuban spitfire, Guillermo Rigondeaux but latest information from Sean Gibbons of the MP Promotions indicates that Rigondeaux is out and Donaire will take his place.
The fight will be at the Dignity Health Center in Carson, California, the site of many memorable fights in the past years.
When Donaire recently won the WBC belt, he stated that he wants to unify the bantamweight belts. He wants a re-match against Naoya Inuoe for the WBA and IBF belts the Japanese holds.
He also wants the WBO belt that is currently in the possession of John Riel Casimero. Donaire indicated that he is not particularly happy to fight a fellow Filipino, but he does not have a choice if he wants to unify all the belts and be called the King of the Bantamweights.
According to Sean Gibbons of the MP Promotions, Casimero also wants to unify the belts and be the “first Pinoy in history to unify the belts”. Therefore, when the opportunity came, he said “Heck yes!”.
Rigondeaux apparently left for Cuba already. Whether he was given a “step-aside fee” is not yet clear. But that would not be too far fetched.
Stay tuned for more. The official announcement is said to be made at the fight between Inuoe and Dasmariñas at the Virgin Hotels tonight June 19th, 2021 Vegas time.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Press Conference Notes: Richard Torrez Jr. and Guido Vianello Ready to Trade Leather in Las Vegas Heavyweight Headliner
Fri, 04 Apr 2025Avoided Kingsley Ibeh Demands his Seat at The Heavyweight Table
Fri, 04 Apr 2025Team USA Advances Two More Boxers to Medal Rounds at World Boxing Cup: Brazil 2025
Fri, 04 Apr 2025Undefeated Super Welterweight Prospect Alex Bray Signs Promotional Agreement with Boxlab Promotions
Fri, 04 Apr 2025PRE-SALE TICKETS FOR THE 2025 US OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP AVAILABLE FROM 14 APRIL
Fri, 04 Apr 2025PSME Abu Dhabi overall champion in the PTC-WED in UAE
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 04 Apr 2025The Hard Road of Young Nationalista
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Thu, 03 Apr 20255 Pinoy boxers to fight in Japan
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 03 Apr 2025Transatlantic Clash II - "Battle at the Bridge"
Thu, 03 Apr 2025Marco “El Tiburón” Romero moving up to scheduled 6-round bout next
Thu, 03 Apr 2025Filipino chess phenom wins at Spring Blitz Chess Championship in Dubai
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 03 Apr 2025Team USA Advances Two More Boxers to Medal Rounds at World Boxing Cup: Brazil 2025
Thu, 03 Apr 2025IM Bagamasbad eyes GM title in Australian Chess Circuit
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 03 Apr 2025SAMPSON BOXING SIGNS TOP UNDEFEATED LIGHT FLYWEIGHT CONTENDER ERICK BADILLO TO CO-PROMOTIONAL CONTRACT
Thu, 03 Apr 2025TURKISH KNOCKOUT ARTIST ELIF NUR TURHAN PENS PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH MATCHROOM
Thu, 03 Apr 2025