MASAM SPORTS 37: JOHN RIEL CASIMERO VS. PAUL BUTLER FINALLY SET ON APRIL 22 IN LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 13 Feb 2022
John Riel Casimero will defend his WBO world bantamweight title against Paul Butler on April 22 in Liverpool, England. Casimero (31-4, 21 KOs) was originally scheduled to defend his title against Butler on December 11 in Dubai, UAE but the Merida, Leyte born champion withdrew from the fight a day before the official weigh-in citing viral gastritis as the reason.
Butler will have the homecourt advantage with countrymen cheering for him with the fight happening at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.
“Liverpool is one of the most passionate boxing cities in the world and we are delighted to be holding our first show at the M&S Bank Arena in April,” said Probellum President Richard Schaefer.
“This is an absolutely fantastic card featuring a combination of world-class fighters, extremely talented aspiring stars and packed with local talent whose fans will no doubt create a truly unique atmosphere.”
Casimero defeated Guillermo Rigondeaux via split decision in his last title defense on August 14, 2021 at the Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California, USA.
Butler (33-2, 15 KOs) is coming off a split decision win over Mexican Willibaldo Garcia last June 25 in Bolton, England. The victory won him the vacant WBO international bantamweight title and the number-one contender to Casimero’s WBO title.
Also fighting in the undercard are hometown brothers Peter and Joe McGrail, Will Cawley, and former Olympian Luke McCormack.
“With the likes of John Riel Casimero, Paul Butler, Rocky Fielding and the McGrail brothers all set to put on a great show, we fully expect some thrilling fights and a fantastic occasion,” said Schaefer.
Butler poured out his sentiments after his cancelled fight with Casimero supposedly scheduled last December 11 in Dubai, UAE. "It was hard, it was really hard. Casimero didn’t make weight, didn’t even attempt to get on the scales," the British fighter exclusively told the ECHO.
Butler added that Joseph Agbeko was taken to replace Casimero and he was being forced to fight the Ghanaian when he didn’t really have to because he was number one. "The WBO were saying I’m still number one and mandatory challenger if I don’t fight, so what would have been the point in me stepping in the ring with Agbeko?" continued Butler.
He had some apprehensions on what happens to him if he fights Agbeko. "Everyone has seen stuff that can happen with bad injuries, cuts, if I was to get cut and got stopped, anything like that, that’s my career over. So I sat back and had a little think, I decided that I’d keep my number one spot and take my chance at fighting Casimero in the New Year."
Butler said it was the most difficult choice he had to make in his fight career. "It’s paid off for me but it was probably the hardest decision I’ve had in my career, I woke up on fight day not knowing whether I was boxing for a world title, whether I was fighting Agbeko, whether it was for the title, whether it was for interim, nothing."
So finally he decided to withdraw from the fight. "I didn’t have a clue about anything, we were still sat there in cuckooland at four o’clock, I was meant to be going to the arena in a couple of hours and we didn’t even know if I was boxing. In the end I said there was literally no point, why put my number one spot on the line for Agbeko to have a win-win situation, so we walked away.”
The WBO order was stated in a letter addressed to Harrison Whitman, Probellum’s Chief Strategy and Legal Officer informing him that the WBO World Championship Committee grants sanction approval for the bantamweight mandatory bout between Casimero and Butler.
Casimero won the title last November 30, 2019 when he stopped South African Zolani Tete by TKO in the third round at the Arena Birmingham, Birmingham, England, but he has not fought a mandatory defense of the championship belt.
WBO further explained that Casimero had two voluntary defenses against Ghana's Duke Micah by TKO3 on September 26, 2020 and Cuba's Guillermo Rigondeaux by SD12 on August 14, 2021. But per WBO rules, he has to fight a mandatory defense.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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