Probellum Setting Casimero for a Fall?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 27 Jan 2022
Casimero.
The deadline of fifteen days from December 22, 2021 set by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) for Probellum to submit its plans for the restaging of Johnriel Casimero's mandatory title defense against British challenger Paul Butler has long lapsed yet nothing official has been heard from said fledgling promotional firm.
The fight date of April 23 and venue of Liverpool have been floated around but the information came from the Butler camp and hence unofficial and cannot be relied upon 100 percent.
The eerie silence from Probellum has raised speculations as to the real motive of the company which had earlier won the bid to stage the fight for a paltry sum of $105,000 supposedly set last December 11 in Dubai, UAE which did not happen as Casimero went down with viral infection on the day before the fight official weigh in.
The WBO required proofs, essentially medical certificate from the Casimero camp which was promptly submitted and having been fully satisfied of the valid reason for the Filipino champion's indisposition, the boxing body thereafter ruled that Casimero remains champion while reaffirming Butler's mandatory challenger status with strict proviso on their availability.
The WBO likewise reaffirmed Probellum's right to stage the mandatory title defense bout at a later date and gave it 15 days from December 22, 2021 to submit its plans for sanctioning purpose.
But nothing has been heard from Probellum at least from the Casimero camp standpoint.
Really, what is Probellum up to?
Note that Probellum has signed up Butler before the original fight date. Are they deliberately keeping Casimero in the dark to upset his preparations thus giving their British ward better chance of pulling a win and wresting the crown?
Or are they trying to force or wangle some concessions, mainly signing Casimero into a promotional contract not necessarily reflective of the Filipino fighter's present status and worth as their winning bid for the fight seems to suggest?
Casimero's managerial contract with Morris East will end in February 2022 and it is no secret that he has no contractual commitments currently with any promoter following the falling out with the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) and even with Sean Gibbons of the Manny Pacquiao (MP) Promotions.
Hence it would be justifiable to say that Probellum have all the time and reason to make an offer to sign Casumero up but they aren't apparently making any move towards that direction.
Quizzical.
But note again that they already have Butler, the former IBF world bantamweight titlist who is bidding for another championship in the division this time under the aegis of the WBO which gave Probellum its first championship promotional break.
I hate to say this but Casimero might be losing on international goodwill with his alleged indiscretions as no one seems interested to handle him going forward.
A truly great fighter world champion should possess the proper attitude and unassailable sense of sportsmanship and professionalism worth emulating especially by the youth.
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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