The Three Kings

There are only three Filipino world boxing champions recognized by the four major professional governing bodies WBC (World Boxing Council based in Mexico), WBA (World Boxing Association based in Panama), IBF (International Boxing Federation based in New Jersey) and WBO (World Boxing Organization based in Puerto Rico).

With Manny Pacquiao now retired, the remaining Filipino world titlists are WBO superbantamweight ruler Nonito Donaire Jr., WBO lightflyweight king Donnie Nietes and IBF flyweight champion John Riel Casimero. They’re the Three Kings of Philippine boxing today.

Casimero, 26, is the latest to join the elite cast. Last Wednesday, he wrested the IBF flyweight crown from Thai Amnat Ruenroeng via a fourth round stoppage in Beijing. It was the Ormoc fighter’s second world championship after winning the IBF lightflyweight diadem in 2012.

What makes Casimero an extraordinary talent is his fearless attitude, something that Pacquiao exemplified. Casimero isn’t afraid to fight anywhere. He’ll go where the action is regardless if it’s on hostile soil. Casimero’s confidence stems from his punching power. If you’re fighting on foreign territory, you’ve got to pack a wallop. Otherwise, you’re vulnerable to losing on points if the fight goes the distance. Casimero has fought thrice in Mexico and in Panama, Nicaragua, South Africa, Argentina, China and Thailand. He couldn’t care less where the bell sounds to start a bout.

For a while, it didn’t look like Casimero would continue fighting after losing back-to-back to Raul Garcia in Mexico and Moruti Mthalane in South Africa. He couldn’t cope with the climate conditions in both fights. Against Mthalane, Casimero surrendered in the fifth round as he couldn’t catch his breath due to the high altitude. Eventually, Casimero was persuaded to return to the ring by manager Sammy Gello-ani. In 2012, he ventured to Buenos Aires and stopped hometown hero Luis Lazarte in the 10th round, triggering a riot among irate fans. Casimero hid under the ring to avoid a mob assault. In 2014, he lost the IBF lightflyweight title on the scales, weighing 5 3/4 pounds over the limit.

Last year, Casimero faced Ruenroeng in Bangkok and lost a highly disputed decision. Referee Larry Doggett was lambasted in media for his one-sided work in protecting the Thai. The IBF recognized the partiality and ordered a rematch which took nearly a year to stage. In the return bout, Casimero made sure there would be no doubt as to the outcome. The win raised his record to 22-3, with 14 KOs.

Nietes, 34, is another road warrior. So far, he’s unbeaten in 15 world title fights, five as a minimumweight and 10 as a lightflyweight. Last Saturday, he stopped Raul Garcia in the ninth defense of his WBO lightflyweight belt. Nietes is the longest reigning Filipino world champion ever, bridging two titles since 2007. Of his 15 world title bouts, four were held abroad, three in Mexico and one in the US.

Nietes has been rated one of the five greatest minimumweight boxers of all time by the late Bert Randolph Sugar and TV boxing analyst Teddy Atlas. He hasn’t lost in his last 30 bouts since dropping a controversial split decision to Angky Angkota in Jakarta in 2004. His record is 38-1-4, with 22 KOs. Surely, Nietes deserves to be ranked in the world’s top 10 pound-for-pound honor roll.

On Sept. 24, the durable Nietes will take on Mexico’s Moises Fuentes at the StubHub Center in Carson City, California, in the 10th defense of his WBO 108-pound throne. In 2013, Fuentes held Nietes to a majority draw and claimed he should’ve won the verdict. In 2014, they met in a rematch with Nietes scoring a ninth round stoppage. Since the return fight, Fuentes has won five in a row, including three by knockout. He’s coming off a first round disposal of Filipino Rommel Asenjo. Fuentes, 30, is a dangerous fighter with a 24-2-1 record, including 13 KOs. If Nietes repulses Fuentes, he’ll likely move up in weight to challenge either WBC flyweight champion Roman (Chocolatito) Gonzalez or WBA/WBO flyweight king Juan Francisco Estrada.

Donaire, 33, halted Hungarian Zsolt Bedak in the third round of his first WBO superbantamweight title defense in Cebu City last April 23. The Filipino Flash is on his second reign as the 122-pound champion. He previously held the WBA featherweight, WBO/WBA/IBF superbantamweight, WBC/WBO bantamweight, interim WBA superflyweight and IBF/IBO flyweight titles. His record is 37-3, with 24 KOs.

Donaire has won four in a row since losing to Nicholas Walters in 2014. His next fight will probably be against top contender Jessie Magdaleno even as Donaire has called out the bigger names in his division like Guillermo Rigondeaux.

At the moment, there are four Filipinos who are rated No. 1 in their divisions and next in line for a mandatory challenge. They are WBO No. 1 welterweight Manny Pacquiao (the door remains open for a comeback), WBO No. 1 junior welterweight Jason Pagara, WBO No. 1 bantamweight Marlon Tapales and WBC No. 1 lightflyweight Jonathan Taconing.