CASIMERO BATTLES MTHALANE FOR IBF FLYWEIGHT TITLE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 01 Mar 2011
Johnriel Casimero.
Promising Johnriel Casimero will battle Moruti Mthalane for the IBF champion?s flyweight title in a championship double-header titled ?African Glory 2? in Johannesburg, South Africa on March 26.
In the co-main event of well-known promoter Branco Milenkovic, IBF junior featherweight champion Steve Molitor (33-1, 12 KO?s) will defend his title against Takalani ?The Panther? Ndlovu (31-6, 18 KO?s).
Filipino promoter Sammy Gello-ani informed the Inquirer that he had decided to move Casimero from light flyweight where he was ranked No. 6 by the World Boxing Organization to flyweight for the title shot at Mthalane.
Gello-ani said Casimero ?is now in high gear training in Cebu and we will be departing on March 20 for South Africa.?
Mthalane who is 28 years old has a record of 26-2 with 17 knockouts. IBF executive Lindsey Tucker said the fight was ?an optional defense? by Mthalane. One of the little South African?s losses was against then IBF/IBO flyweight champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire who won by a 6th round TKO on November 1, 2008 after blooding his nose and opening up a nasty cut on his eye.
Mthalane won the IBF title with a unanimous twelve round decision over Julio Cesar ?Pingo? Miranda on November 20, 2009. Miranda later went on to win the WBO title with a 5th round TKO over Richie Mepranum on June 12, 2010 . In his last defense Mthalane scored a 5th round TKO over Zolani Tete on September 1, 2010.
The 21 year old Casimero who has a record of 14-1 with 8 knockouts dropped a split decision in a WBO light flyweight interim title fight to Ramon Garcia Hirales in Sinaloa, Mexico on July 24, 2010.
Prior to that Casimero scored a sensational 11th round TKO over heavily favored Cesar Canchilla, dropping him once in rounds 3, 6, 9 and twice in round 11 in a WBO interim title fight on December 19, 2009.
Respected boxing analyst Graham Houston reported ?That fight showed that Casimero is able to fight well away from home. He is a fast, fluid boxer-puncher with what I describe in my notes on him as having ?cat-like? moves. The win over Canchila has been recoded as a TKO, but Casimero blasted his Colombian opponent to the canvas with a left hook followed by a huge right hand, and the referee waved the finish without bothering to count. Canchila was well and truly out. ?
Casimero?s win also impressed WBO president Francisco ?Paco? Valcarcel who, during the Donaire-Fernando Montiel fight in Las Vegas last February 19 inquired about Casimero and said he was ?one of the biggest punchers I ever saw in the lower weight divisions. He was terrific.?
Reacting to Valcarcel?s statement, Gello-ani said it was ?nice to hear that ?Paco? still remembers Casimero. Very true. He still believes Casimero has a chance to be back and that is why he is still highly rated in the WBO.?
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