2 Pinoys in world title bids

MANILA, Philippines – Two Filipino fighters will shoot for world titles as underdogs in different South African venues this Saturday but even as the odds aren’t encouraging, Johnriel (Quadro Alas) Casimero of Ormoc City and Danilo (Pitbull) Peña of Catbalogan are out to give it their best shot.

Casimero, 21, takes on IBF flyweight champion Moruti Mthalane in a 12-round bout at the Nasrec Indoor Arena in Johannesburg while Peña, 30, battles Tshifhiwa Munyai for the vacant IBO superbantamweight crown in a 12-round encounter at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park.

Casimero hasn’t fought since losing a disputed split 12-round decision to Mexico’s Ramon Garcia in a WBO interim lightflyweight title fight in Los Mochis last July. Mthalane has won three in a row since losing to Nonito Donaire, Jr. on a sixth round stoppage due to an eyelid cut in 2008. Mthalane saw action only once last year, stopping previously unbeaten Zolani Tete in the first defense of the IBF crown he took via a 12-round decision over Mexico’s Julio Cesar Miranda in 2009.

What brought Casimero to the attention of ring experts was his shock knockout win over former WBA interim lightflyweight titlist Cesar Canchilla of Colombia in Managua, Nicaragua, in December 2009. Canchilla, who once beat WBA champion Giovani Segura, was flattened in the 11th round and Casimero became an overnight sensation.

But Casimero failed to follow up on his headline victory over Canchilla. Against Garcia, he blew an early lead and wilted down the stretch, trying to score a knockout with one punch. If Casimero won the last two rounds, he would’ve salvaged a draw with Garcia. Casimero blamed the scorching heat for his meltdown. After the loss, Casimero said it was a learning experience and he’ll bounce back with a vengeance. He never expected that eight months later, his comeback would be a crack at the world title.

Mthalane, 28, is a smooth operator and will try to frustrate the brawling Casimero like Garcia did. His record is 26-2, with 17 KOs, compared to Casimero’s 14-1, with eight KOs.

Peña and Munyai are both coming off losses, making it difficult to justify their fight for the vacant IBO 122-pound title. Peña lost a sixth round technical verdict to Takuya Kogawa in Tokyo last October while Munyai was outpointed by Christian Esquivel in Mexico City last August. Still, the IBO has declared that the winner will be recognized as the new superbantamweight titlist.

Peña is a back alley slugger with a 22-8-2 record, including 10 KOs. Retreat is not a word in his vocabulary. One of his impressive wins was a 12-round decision over Marvin Tampus to retain the Philippine championship in December 2009. Tampus’ right eye was swollen shut at the end of the savage donnybrook. Munyai, 25, has a 20-2-1 record, with 10 KOs.

History is against Filipino fighters battling to win a world title in South Africa. Last year, Juanito Rubillar lost a pair of highly disputed 12-round decisions – split and majority – to Hekkie Budler for the IBO lightflyweight crown at the Emperor’s Palace. Other Filipinos who fought and lost in world title bouts in South Africa were Eric Jamili, Dennis Sabsal, Arman de la Cruz, Gabriel Pumar, Wyndel Janiola, Eric Barcelona thrice, Eden Sonsona, Bong Arlos, Arnel Barotillo twice, Jesus Salud and Tiger Ari. No Filipino has ever won a world title match in South Africa. Casimero and Peña hope to snap the streak.

Meanwhile, another Filipino fighter will get a crack at a world crown in Las Vegas on April 30. Sarangani’s Richie Mepranum takes on WBO flyweight champion Julio Cesar Miranda of Mexico in a 12-round title rematch. Last June, Mepranum was halted by Miranda in the fifth round for the vacant WBO throne in Mexico. Mepranum was floored with a left hook to the jaw in the fourth and fell twice from body shots in the fifth before referee Russell Mora stepped in. He returned to action and beat Milan Melindo victim Anthony Villareal on a split six-round decision at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas last November. It didn’t seem like Mepranum earned a shot at the title considering he was badly mauled by Miranda and the win over Villareal was hardly impressive. But the fight will go on with Mepranum a huge underdog.

Mepranum, 23, has a 23-2-1 record, with five KOs compared to Miranda’s 35-5-1, with 28 KOs. Last Feb. 26, Miranda stopped Filipino Arden Diale in the fourth round to retain the WBO crown in Queretaro. It was Miranda’s third title defense. Diale dropped Miranda in the first round then was floored once in the third and twice in the fourth, prompting referee Genaro Rodriguez to halt the carnage.