WEIGHTY ISSUES: CASIMERO TO MOVE UP IN HIS NEXT BOUT
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 02 May 2014
CEBU CITY ? Johnriel Casimero (19W (11KO's)-L2) lost his IBF world junior flyweight title at the scales when he came in at 113.25 lbs during the official weigh-in held Friday morning at SM Cebu Events Center. Challenger Mauricio Fuentes (16W (10KO's)-L2) of Colombia made the division limit of 108 lbs on his first try.
During the press conference held immediately after the weigh-in, it was officially announced by GAB Commissioner Fritz Gaston, who was supervising for the IBF, and the Games and Amusements Board officials that Casimero opted not to shed weight. He will be wearing heavier gloves and is no longer world champion.
The title will be declared vacant if Casimero wins but Fuentes can win the belt if he beats Casimero.
This was supposed to be the fourth title defense - his second defense here in the Philippines and his first in Cebu. Last October in Makati City, he beat Felipe Salguero of Mexico by TKO in 11 rounds. In this fight, Casimero also struggled to make weight but still managed to make the division limit.
Trainer Pingping Tepora said during the presscon that they could not go down in weight any further. Promoter Sammy Gello-ani said it will also present a danger to the boxer?s health if he is forced to go down in weight.
Fuentes stated during the presscon that this is a good opportunity for him because he knows Casimero is weak. Casimero however promised a good fight for the fans.
The Colombian challenger?s last fight was a fifth round TKO win over Gustavo Cortez in his hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia. The latest rankings of IBF has him at number 12 with top two slots vacant. Both Casimero and Gello-ani expressed their apologies to the fans. Gello-ani said however that Casimero will be campaigning at flyweight and could fight for the 112 lb division title after one or two bouts. Casimero did make one foray into the flyweight division but he was stopped by then IBF champ Moruti Mthalane in South Africa three years ago. He would turn his career around in 2012 when he went back to 108 lbs and won the vacant IBF light flyweight title against Luis Lazarte in Argentina.
The infamous fight against Lazarte, which was marred by an ugly riot by Argentinian fans who attacked Team Casimero, was cited by Gello-ani during the presscon as his source of motivation for Casimero. ?I told him that this title is something that we almost paid for with our lives.?
But Casimero is now an ex-champion. He and his team will be pondering his future in the hours going into his battle against Fuentes. The fight will be held May 3 Saturday 7PM at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and will be covered on television by ABC-5. There will be interesting fights on the undercards - Harmonito dela Torre vs Gadwin Tubigon for the vacant WBF International superfeatherweight title, Jack Tepora vs Joash Apericio for the vacant World Boxing Federation International super bantamweight title, Rey Labao (Philippine lightweight champ) vs Rodel Wenceslao, and Jessie Cris Rosales vs Anthony Sabalde for the WBO Youth Asia-Pacific featherweight title.
Also set to see action are miniflyweights Mark Anthony Florida vs Joey Canoy (8 rounds), miniflyweights Jessie Espinas vs Philip Jun Pronco (8 rounds), flyweights Jimboy Haya vs Carlo Demecillo ( 6 rounds) and junior flyweights Jumuel Lacar vs Honorato Boc (4 rounds).
PHOTOS by MARY JANE CATRIZ
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