CAN CASIMERO MAKE A CAREER TURNAROUND?
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 10 Feb 2012
We?ve all heard the old boxing adage that a boxer is just one punch away from turning his life around. Johnriel Casimero traveled all the way to Argentina to get that chance. He will face former IBF lt.flyweight world champion Luis Alberto Lazarte for the belt previously held by Ulises Solis. Casimero will rely on youth and size while Lazarte will bank on his experience and crowd support.
Twenty five months ago, Casimero was on the verge of becoming a star when he upset Cesar Canchila by 11th round TKO to win the interim WBO lt.flyweight world title.
Canchila was more experienced, having a 1W-1L record against Giovani Segura, while Casimero was having his first fight overseas in Nicaragua. Seven months later he faded in the endgame against Ramon Garcia Hirales of Mexico and lost by split decision. Last year, in a bizarre fifth round, he signalled that he had enough in his title challenge against Moruti Mthalane in South Africa.
There was something missing in his eyes when I visited him at the Omega gym when he trained for Mthalane. He went through the training regimen but there was no spark, no fire.
I saw a different look when he knocked out Roemart Sentillas last October at the end of the first round. The referee initially thought the blow was after the bell and an illegal punch. The replay showed a different story. Thanks to the television cameras at ringside, the punch was shown to have been delivered milliseconds before the bell rang. Casimero saw an opening and took it.
As the medical personnel at ringside dashed to help the fallen Sentillas, Casimero tapped me from behind. As I turned and looked, he seemed like a kindergarten student showing off his artwork.
The fire was back.
Will we see it burn inside the ring of Mar de Plata?
(Photo above- Promoter Sammy Gello-ani, Casimero and trainer Pingping Tepora)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Herlan Gomez, Jason Moloney Make Weight for WBC Australasia Bantamweight Battle in Australia
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 05 Dec 2025OLYMPIC BOXING 5: 1928 OLYMPICS AT AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
By Maloney L. Samaco, Fri, 05 Dec 2025MONTE-CARLO SHOWDOWN VI PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 05 Dec 2025Class of 2026 Announced in Canastota
Fri, 05 Dec 2025Thailand’s Niyomtrong “Knockout CPF” Decisions Junior Zárate, Becomes World Champion Again
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 05 Dec 2025WORLD RANKED FILIPINO BOXERS AS OF DECEMBER 2025 BY THE RING, WBC, WBA, IBF, AND WBO
By Maloney L. Samaco, Fri, 05 Dec 2025Shinard Bunch Takes on John Paul Magalong on Tuesday, January 13th at The UFC Gym North Brunswick in North Brunswick, NJ
Fri, 05 Dec 2025Severino and Mendoza win Blitz Asian Chess Championship for Players with Disabilities
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 05 Dec 2025Herlan Gomez Departs for Australia for Moloney Fight Saturday on DAZN
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 04 Dec 2025KENNETH LLOVER DEFENDS OPBF TITLE IN FOURTH FIGHT OF 2025
Thu, 04 Dec 2025Canoy, Mama, Into Contend in IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in Dubai
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 04 Dec 2025CHAMPIONING MENTAL HEALTH 2: REMATCH SEASON FULL FIGHT CARD SET
Thu, 04 Dec 2025MERRY FISTMAS! World-Ranked KO Artist Ramon Cardenas Faces Erik Robles in ProBoxTV Main Event at War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Thursday, December 18
Thu, 04 Dec 2025THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 2 DECEMBER 2025: Kavaliauskas Wins by Split Decision Over Molina; Whittaker Stops Gavazi in 1; Malajika Wins by UD Over Paras
By Eric Armit, Wed, 03 Dec 2025WBC Strips Terence Crawford of Super Middle Title
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 03 Dec 2025