PHILIPPINES NEWEST INTERIM WORLD CHAMPION ARRIVES ON CHRISTMAS EVE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 21 Dec 2009
The Philippines newest Interim world champion Johnreil “Quadro Alas” Casimiro arrives home at 5:30 a.m. on Christmas eve aboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Los Angeles following his stunning 11th round knockout victory over highly-favored Cesar Canchilla at the National Stadium in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua on Sunday, Manila Time.
Well known promoter Sammy Gello-ani who teamed up with international promoter Sampson “Picasso” Lewkowicz whose motto is to “ make the impossible, possible ”to land the title shot, told us “it was a big win for Casimiro who made tremendous sacrifices to be able to win this fight.”
Gello-ani said Casimiro who was rated No. 4 by the WBO was a huge underdog in the fight which was held in honor of the late Nicaraguan icon Alexis Arguello, the former Mayor of Managua. He said Casimiro went up against a former WBA champion and a hard-nosed veteran who was ranked No. 2 and had won the interim title with a 12 round unanimous decision over hard-hitting Giovanni Segura on July 26, 2008 but lost in a rematch by a 4th round TKO on March 14, 2009.
Segura then clashed with veteran Filipino southpaw Juanito Rubillar, a last-minute substitute for Sonny Boy Jaro because of a snafu over Jaro’s visa and won the title by a 6th round TKO when Michael Koncz, the adviser of Manny Pacquiao who helped get the fight for Rubillar threw in the towel because he said the Filipino was taking a bad beating.
Canchilla (28-2, 22 KO’s) earned an interim title clash with Casimiro (13-0, 7 KO’s) after the Colombian scored an impressive 5th round TKO over Carlos Luis Campos last July 17. But he never bargained for the kind of beating he got at the hands of the Filipino teenager whom respected TV analyst Moy Lainez conceded “is really strong” following his 8th round knockout of tough Ardin Diale in Cebu last May 28 on Viva Sports widely followed weekly boxing show “The Main Event.”
Gello-ani said Casimiro benefited from having Nonito Donaire Sr in his corner along with former boxer and now trainer, Christopher “Pingping” Tepura.
Casimiro dropped Canchilla for the first time in the fight in round three and followed this up by decking him in the 6th and 9th rounds before sending Canchilla to the canvas twice in the 11th round, the end coming at 1:40 in the penultimate round..
The fight card in honor of Arguello who together with the late, great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde was voted by the WBC as the finest junior lightweights on the 20th anniversary of the prestigious world organization in a ceremony in New York, was sponsored by the City government of Managua. Among those present at ringside were former world champions Pipino Cuevas, Marco Antonio Barrera. Heavyweight Shannon Briggs and undefeated WBO light flyweight champion Ivan Calderon.
With his smashing win Casimiro joins the growing ranks of Filipino light flyweight champions led by IBF champion Brian Viloria who won the title with a spectacular one-punch knockout of Ulises Solis, Rodel Mayol who won the WBC title with a second round TKO over Edgar Sosa and Juanito Rubillar, the current WBC Americas Continental champion.
Top photo: Johnreil Casimero (R) heads to the neutral corner after sending Thailand's Veerapol to the canvas in their Oct. 2008 fight. Photo by Dong Secuya.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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