Casimero in high-risk bout but confident to win

MANILA, Philippines - Interim WBO lightflyweight champion Johnriel Casimero of Ormoc City battles Mexican southpaw Ramon Garcia in a 12-round bout to decide Ivan Calderon’s next challenger at the Polideportivo Centenario in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico this morning (Manila time) and vowed to preserve his unbeaten record.

Casimero, 20, hasn’t lost since turning pro three years ago and is coming off a sensational 11th round stoppage of Colombian Cesar Canchilla before 20,000 fans in Nicaragua last December. But Garcia is a dangerous opponent who has won in his last 10 outings and is the reigning WBC International 108-pound titlist. Casimero’s record is 14-0, with eight KOs compared to Garcia’s 12-1-1, with eight KOs.

In yesterday’s weigh-in, Casimero tipped the scales at 107.2 pounds while Garcia checked in at 108 even.

“This fight was postponed twice but it didn’t bother Casimero,” said business manager Sammy Gello-ani who is in Los Mochis with the fighter’s cornermen Chris Tepura and Danny Bactol. “Casimero is in excellent condition. He shifted to low gear in the gym after we were informed of the postponements but quickly got back to high gear when the fight was finally confirmed. He’s more confident of winning now than before he fought Canchilla.”

Gello-ani said Casimero knows a loss to Garcia will destroy his hopes of facing Calderon who is booked to meet Giovanni Segura in a WBO-WBA unification duel in Puerto Rico on Aug. 28.

“Casimero is ready for a world title shot,” said Gello-ani. “He’s ready for Calderon now. But he’s not taking Garcia lightly. Casimero is an ambitious kid. He wants to be a world champion like Manny Pacquiao. He knows he can do it. Garcia is a big test for him. If he can take care of Garcia, he can take care of anyone in this division.”

Garcia’s older brother Raul is the former IBF minimumweight champion who beat Filipino Florante Condes on a split 12-round decision in Mexico two years ago. Gello-ani watched Garcia beat Francisco Reyes in the undercard.

“Garcia is more of a slugger than a boxer,” said Gello-ani. “But against Casimero, we might see a different Garcia because he knows Casimero can punch. Casimero is prepared for whatever Garcia shows in the ring. He’s stronger and smarter now than he was against Canchilla. In the press conference in Mexico the other day, Garcia promised to win by knockout. Casimero shot back, announcing he’ll do to Garcia first what Garcia wants to do to him.”

Gello-ani said if the opening comes early in the fight, Casimero will go for the quick knockout. “He’ll be patient,” said Gello-ani. “He won’t be in a hurry. He’ll measure him in the beginning. If Garcia chooses to engage, Casimero will oblige. As much as possible, we don’t want to let it go to the scorecards. Casimero is highly-motivated and hopes to win this fight convincingly. He’s dedicating the fight to all Filipinos. We’re praying for his successful defense of the interim title so he can challenge the supreme champion Calderon.”

In the undercard, another Filipino Federico Catubay of Zamboanga del Norte takes on Mexico’s Rodrigo Guerrero in a 12-round eliminator for the right to meet the winner of the July 31 bout between IBF superflyweight champion Simphiwe Nonggayi of South Africa and Mexican challenger Juan Alberto Rosas.

“This is Catubay’s last chance,” said Gello-ani. “He lost a decision to Rosas last November. If he beat Rosas, Catubay would be fighting Nonggayi for the world title instead. Catubay has experience on his side but we know Guerrero is tough.”

Catubay, 30, is a former Philippine flyweight champion who has lost in bids for the Oriental superflyweight title twice, the WBC Youth minimumweight and lightflyweight belts, the IBO superflyweight crown and the WBO Asia Pacific superbantamweight championship. The hard-luck fighter has seen action in Korea, Japan, Thailand, Australia, the US and Mexico in compiling a 25-16-3 record, with 13 KOs. Catubay is three inches shorter than Guerrero and gives up 6 1/2 inches in reach.

Guerrero, who has beaten Rosas, won 11 in a row, seven by KO including two in the first round, before losing to Vic Darchinyan in a WBC-WBA unified superflyweight title bout in California last March.