
CASIMERO WINS BY SPLIT DECISION OVER RIGONDEAUX, RETAINS WBO BANTAM TITLE
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 15 Aug 2021

Johnriel Casimero retained his WBO bantamweight title winning via split decision over Guillermo Rigondeaux at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) broadcast on Showtime.
Judge Tim Cheatham had it for Rigondeaux 115-113 while Robert Hoyle and Daniel Sandoval had it 117-111 and 116-112 for the Filipino. PhilBoxing had it 115-113 of Casimero.
Rigo, who in his last three fights engaged his opponents more, had reverted to his signature 'catch me if you can' style running the whole night as the frustrated Casimero probably thought he should have trained more in sprinting than in sparring.
Casimero connects with a right at Rigondeaux.
Casimero occasionally touched Rigondeaux from paltry combinations and Rigondeaux steal rounds by connecting a couple of good counters and it is all there is to it in the night's main event.
The California crowd, looking for some action, was booing all night.
The punch stats showed measly numbers as Casimero has thrown only 297 punches with 47 connects to Rigo's 221 and 44. None landed more than a single digit in each round.
Asked after the fight by Jim Gray why he was content on fighting [running] that way, Rigo said, "That's why nobody wants to fight me because that is always my game plan."
Egged on by Gray if he was not concerned what people say about his style, the unapologetic Rigo said, "It is God's gift to me and I plan to win fights that way."
Casimero celebrates after defeating Rigondeaux.
Casimero, after surviving a marathon contest, said that he was targeting three fighters. Rigo is down and it will be Donaire next. After Donaire, Inoue.
with the win, Casimero improved to 31-4-0, 21KOs while Rigondeaux absorbed his second defeat and dropped to 20-2-0, 13KOs.
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