Casimero misses weight, out of Dubai card

MANILA, Philippines – Philstar.com just learned that John Riel Casimero did not make weight for his upcoming World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title bout with British fighter Paul Butler scheduled for Probellum: Evolution set this Sunday at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Event organizers are scrambling to get approval from the WBO for Ghanaian Joseph Agbeko to fight Butler (33-2).

Agbeko though is at 41 years of age and sports a 38-5 record. He is ranked 10th in the bantamweight division.

Word leaking out of Dubai is that Casimero will be stripped of the title. If Butler agrees to fight Agbeko, it will be a title fight. 

Casimero missing the fight leaves two Filipino fighters on the card — Jayson Mama, who takes on Sunny Edwards in an IBF flyweight bout, and Donnie Nietes, who battles Norbelto Jimenez.