Landmark fight for Casimero

It’s going to be a groundbreaking event for Philippine boxing this Sunday when John Riel Casimero makes the first defense of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title in Uncasville, Connecticut.

When Casimero answers the bell against Ghanaian challenger Duke Micah at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, he will become the first Filipino boxer to figure in a world title fight during the coronavirus era.

In the past few months, there have been Filipino boxers who have seen action in Las Vegas but they were ordinary fights, not the one Casimero will take part in this weekend.

He will become the first Filipino boxer to figure in a world title fight during the coronavirus era.

Just before the world plunged into lockdown mode last March, the pint-sized world champion Pedro Taduran traveled to Mexico and drew with Daniel Valladares in February.

The Leyte-born Casimero recently arrived in Connecticut from Las Vegas, where he had been based the last six months, brimming with confidence.

A victory should set him up for another fight before the end of the year.

Casimero took the WBO 118-lb crown late last year by mauling South African Zolani Tete in Birmingham, England.

Caismero is one of four reigning Filipino world champions at the moment alongside Manny Pacquiao, Jerwin Ancajas, and of course, Taduran.