Casimero next fight vs Japanese challenger

MANILA, Philippines - It will likely be Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) champion Ryo Miyazaki stepping up as newly-crowned IBF lightflyweight titlist Johnriel Casimero’s first challenger, according to the Filipino’s business manager Sammy Gello-ani.

The Japan Boxing Commission had snubbed the IBF for over 20 years but Gello-ani said it has recently allowed Japanese fighters to re-affiliate with the New Jersey-based governing body. Satoshi Shingaki was the only Japanese to win an IBF crown, ruling the bantamweight division in 1984-85.

The unbeaten Miyazaki, 23, is only 5-1, three inches shorter than Casimero, and holds wins over Filipinos Jerson Mancio and Donny Mabao. His record is 16-0-3, with 10 KOs. The draws were a result of stoppages because of accidental headbutts. Gello-ani said Uruguay matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz, who is based in Las Vegas, is negotiating Casimero’s title defense. Casimero took the vacant IBF 108-pound crown on a 10th round disposal of Luis Lazarte in Mar del Plata, Argentina, last Friday. The throne was relinquished by Mexico’s Ulises Solis who suffered a broken jaw in a street altercation with WBC lightmiddleweight champion Saul Alvarez. Solis will be out of action until July or August.

Gello-ani reiterated that Casimero is now the regular, not interim, IBF champion. “Sampson worked hard to get the fight for Casimero against Lazarte,” said Gello-ani. “Casimero had an offer to fight for the flyweight title in South Africa last October but Sampson didn’t want to accept. Besides, I felt Casimero wasn’t ready. When Solis relinquished, Sampson knew it was Casimero’s time. We owe a lot to Sampson for making this happen.”

Casimero was paid $15,000 for the bout with training, transportation and accommodation expenses paid for. “Not bad, considering it was for the vacant title,” said Gello-ani. “Casimero planned to use the money to pay for his brother’s medical treatment. Unfortunately, he died the day before we left Cebu for the trip to Argentina.”

Casimero, the second of four children born to an Ormoc pier porter and a manicurist, was crest-fallen after his younger brother Gerald died because of heart failure. Gerald, 17, was born with a hole in his heart. “Casimero dedicated the fight to his brother,” said Gello-ani. “He wanted to win for Gerald. It was also his gift to our country. Casimero won the title three days before his 22nd birthday. His motivation was to bring honor to our country.”

It wasn’t easy travelling to Mar del Plata. Casimero, Gello-ani and trainer Christopher Tepura left Cebu last Feb. 4, spent the night in Doha, flew to Sao Paolo the next morning then to Buenos Aires for another overnight stay and finally to Mar del Plata only an hour away by plane from the Argentine capital. They arrived in Mar del Plata last Monday morning, four days before the fight.

The travelling party will arrive in Cebu at 4 this afternoon from Mar del Plata via Buenos Aires and Doha.

 “We were escorted by police from the hotel to the airport,” said Gello-ani. “Thank God we’re safe. Before the fight, we all prayed for God’s protection and He answered our prayers. When the riot erupted, we were able to leave unhurt. We got punched and kicked. We were hit by water bottles and chairs. But we didn’t get seriously hurt. God kept us safe.” Security guards hid Casimero under the ring for 30 minutes while the rowdy fans were dispersed.

The local fans couldn’t accept Lazarte’s defeat and his co-members of a truckers union went berserk after New York referee Eddie Claudio stopped it in the 10th round with the Argentinian defenseless against the ropes. Casimero had floored Lazarte twice in the ninth and once in the 10th before the stoppage. Argentine TV commentators called the riot an embarrassment. Promoter Osvaldo Rivero and Lazarte himself later apologized to Casimero in his dressing room. Casimero, Gello-ani, Tepura and American matchmaker Sean Gibbons who was in the Filipino’s corner stayed in the dressing room over an hour before they were whisked back for the 30-minute drive to the Hotel Primacy in a van.

Lazarte used every dirty trick available to try to rattle Casimero. Twice, he bit Casimero on the shoulder. Lazarte butted, elbowed, held Casimero’s head down while hitting with his free hand and threw rabbit punches. But Casimero wasn’t fazed. Casimero, who was only six years old when Lazarte turned pro in 1996, picked his spots, softening up the Argentine with bolo punches then raked him with jarring right straights to take the starch out of the hometown hero.