Casimero facing US deportation?

MANILA, Philippines — WBO bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero is in a serious fix with his US visa subject to revocation on a notice by Los Angeles promoter Tom Brown, purportedly because the fighter faces a case filed in Taguig by a 17-year-old woman for acts of lasciviousness last Feb. 11. Brown, who’s connected with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions, filed a petition for Casimero’s non-immigrant working visa with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services on Oct. 2, 2019 and it was approved on Jan. 13, 2020.

Brown has now sought the automatic revocation of the approval of the unexpired portion of the visa term. He asked that the US Citizenship and Immigration Services notify the US Department of State of this petition. If the revocation is approved, Casimero – who is in the US – will be deported and forced to return home. He is currently training with his brother Jayson and friend Stephen Lunas in San Diego preparing for his title defense against Paul Butler in Liverpool on April 22.

The case against Casimero was filed at the Southern Police District in Taguig City. The complainant alleged that the act happened at 11 p.m. on June 7 at the City Park Hotel in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. Casimero’s brother Jayson has vehemently denied the involvement and said the complaint was “fabricated” and their lawyer would soon issue a statement debunking the claim. There was no mention of Brown’s request to revoke Casimero’s US visa.

Casimero recently met with WBC bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. and a picture of their get-together was released on social media. Casimero supposedly hopes to join Donaire in Richard Schaefer’s Probellum stable. There was also a video quoting Russian manager Egis Klimas, who handles Vasiliy Lomachenko, as saying a certain Jose de la Cruz approached him about promoting Casimero but he said he hasn’t spoken with the Filipino champion, not even shaken his hand.

If Casimero fails to appear in Liverpool to face Butler, the WBO will strip him of the belt. The WBO previously declared that Casimero will be defrocked if for whatever reason, he isn’t able to fight Butler. If Casimero is stripped because he won’t be issued a UK visa due to a pending court case, WBO No. 4 and WBA No. 7 bantamweight contender Jonas Sultan is ready to step in as replacement. Sultan is now in Las Vegas training at the Javier Capetillo gym and said it breaks his heart if Casimero is stripped of the crown but he’s prepared to step in.