Casimero stays focused

MANILA, Philippines — WBO bantamweight champion JohnRiel Casimero said yesterday the longer the wait, the hungrier he is to put super WBA/IBF titlist Naoya Inoue to sleep when they finally square off in their triple unification showdown that was scheduled at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on April 25 but has been postponed indefinitely.

Casimero is holed up in a rented four-bedroom house in Las Vegas with trainer Nonoy Neri, assistant trainer Ting (Sugar) Ariosa and his brother Jayson. He left Manila to open camp in Miami with strength/conditioning coach Memo Heredia last February then moved to Las Vegas last month. MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons, who arranged Casimero’s accommodations, said a state decision is expected on May 1 whether to open up Las Vegas’ economy or not. If the coronavirus situation is stabilized, the Casimero-Inoue fight could take place in early July.

Casimero isn’t sitting idly at home. Every day, he wakes up at 8, jogs around the neighborhood or at Sunset Park while maintaining social distance for at least an hour in the morning then does gym work for two hours in the afternoon. He’s keeping his weight steady at 130 so he has pounds to burn.

Before battling Inoue, Casimero could be in the US for five months but doesn’t mind. “Naisip kong umuwi kaya lang delikado bumiyahe sa eroplano dahil sa virus at mapuputol ang training,” he said. “Tiis na lang at ibubuhos ko ang inis kay Inoue. Sabik kong sapakin siya. Gigisingin ko si Inoue sa loob ng ring tapos patutulugin ko.”

Casimero said when he’s not limbering up, it’s movie time on Netflix. His favorites are horror films. “Hinahanap ko si Monster sa horror movies,” he laughed. “Wala akong makitang Inoue. Nagtatago sa akin. ‘Di maraming napanood kong laban ni Inoue sa YouTube kasi mga walang laban ang kalaban. Sa kagalingan ni (Nonito) Donaire, tulog si Inoue. Ako na lang ang magpapatulog sa kaniya.”

Casimero shrugged off the news that Inoue has sparred with Filipino contenders K. J. Cataraja and Albert Pagara to prepare for him. “Maski na sino ang ka-sparring niya, bali wala sa akin,” he said. “Dati, easy-easy training kasi feeling ko, kayang-kaya kalaban. Ngayon, focus, hard training, discipline. Dapat walang kalawang sa laban. Sabi ni Senator Manny (Pacquiao), pray, work hard. Maraming salamat kay Senator sa kaniyang suporta sa akin at sa lahat ng kababayan natin na naghihirap sa lockdown. Malaking bagay ang tulong ni Senator sa atin lahat.”

Casimero said he’s not thinking homesick. “Maganda ang samahan namin sa bahay,” he said. “Si coach Nonoy, masarap ang luto niya, isda, gulay, manok at kaunting baka. Kung minsan, kain kami ng ice cream. Si Sir Sean, palaging bumibisita, sumasabay sa ensayo, baka may balak mag-comeback. Ako naman ang promoter niya.”