Morris East Confirms Casimero-Donaire WBO/WBC World Bantamweight Unification
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 20 Jun 2021
Former Fil-Am world champion now Las Vegas- based boxing manager Morris East who holds management rights on Johnriel Casimero until 2022 in a telephone interview with this writer this morning confirmed that Casimero will be fighting fellow Filipino Nonito Donaire on August 14, 2021 in a unification bout for their respective WBO and WBC bantamweight titles.
East said that the Premier Boxing Champions of Floyd Mayweather, Jr and Al Haymon could have been prompted to arrange the fight replacing the original bout pitting Casimero against WBA secondary titlist Guillermo Rigondeaux on the same date "as the clash has more significance and urgency in the determination of the ultimate one unified world champion in the division".
Rigondeaux has reportedly willingly stepped aside to pave the way for the all Filipino fight, seen to be the biggest yet but with the understanding that he will have the crack at the winner.
This development came at the heels of unified WBA super IBF and Ring lineal world bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue's defense Saturday night against yet another Filipino, Michael Dasmariñas in Las Vegas. Inoue has been installed as heavy favorite to keep his titles as he expressed his own willingness and readiness to face the other titleholders to unify all major belts in the division.
East said he is torn between Casimero and Donaire as he has been part of the journey of both to the world championships and global prominence as now the manager of Johnriel and erstwhile trainer of Nonito, Jr. for many years.
East said one of the other main reason for PBC changing Rigondeaux with Donaire for the fight against Casimero could be that the fight has the potential to generate more income both in the live gate and in the pay for view. He said the bout has the making of one of this year's biggest fights approximating that of Manny Pacquiao's bout versus Errol Spence a week later on August 21, 2021.
"It may even steal the thunder from the Pacquiao-Spence fight though we know Manny is also a master at promoting his fights," East said.
Pressed for his take on the Casimero-Donaire fight, East said that both has dynamite on their fists. " Kung sino ang unang tumama," he said cryptically. But East said Donaire has the edge not only in size but in experience as well.
"I wish both of them luck. Pero kung sino man ang manalo, panalo ang Pilipino, panalo ang Pilipinas," Morris concluded.
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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