WEIGHTS FROM PANAMA: CASIMERO - 106.5 LBS, RIOS 108 LBS FOR IBF JR. FLYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE CLASH IN PANAMA (PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 16 Mar 2013
PANAMA CITY, Panam? - Filipino IBF Jr. Flyweight world champion Johnriel Casimero (17-2, 10 KO's) weighed-in at 106.5 lbs. while his 22-year-old IBF #1 mandatory challenger Luis Alberto ?Pan Blanco? Rios of Panama scaled at 108 lbs ahead of their IBF world title clash tomorrow at the Megapolis Convention Center of the Hard Rock Hotel here in Panama City, Panama.
"Early on during my training in the Philippines, I had trouble to find sparring partners similar to Rios, but our friends from ALA Gym helped us. Now I feel confident and fast, willing to defeat my Panamanian challenger Luis Alberto ?Pan Blanco? Rios (18-1-1, 13 KO's). He is good boxer. But I will keep my belt," said Casimero, 22, after the successful official weigh-in ceremony graced by IBF President Daryl Peoples and WBA vice president Gilberto Mendoza.
As per IBF world title rules, there will be a second weigh-in tomorrow at the Megapolis Convention Center at 8:30am (Panama Time), in which the Jr. flyweight fighters should not weigh more than 118 lbs.
The requirement should be easy for both jr. flyweight boxers to accomplish.
After the weigh-in, co-promoter Sammy Gello-Ani shared:
?We feel really good in Panama. The officials and fans are friendly to all of us. We like Panama people very much. In fact, we feel happy, just like at home and the weather in Panama is the same in the Philippines. But make no mistake, we came to Panama to win! Our boys will be victorious. Two world championship belts will fly with us back to the Philippines.?
The co-main event is the WBA interim title fight betwen former 2-division world champion Roberto "La Ara?a" Vasquez (La Ara?a in Tagalog means "Aranya") and Filipino fighter John Mark "Iceman" Apolinario (17-2-1, 4 KO's) of Sarangani.
The Filipinos are scheduled to fly from Panama back to the Philippines on Monday (March 18) on board the Panama flag carrier airline COPA to Los Angeles, connecting with Philippine Airlines (PAL) to Manila.
Present during the official IBF weight-in ceremony were international promoter Sampson Lewkowicz as well, the president of the Panama Boxing Commission Rolando Marcos-Hermoso, Panama Senator Javier Zu?iga and co-promoter Sammy Gello-Ani of Cebu.
Fights will be broadcast LIVE to the Philippines on ABS CBN Channel 2 Sunday March 19 at 11am (Philippine Time). TV Max in Panama. Latin America on TyC Sports. Europe on Sky TV.
Casimero on the scales.
Rios tips the scales.
Casimero and Rios.
Team Philippines in high spirits after the weighin.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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