John Riel Casimero had a a lot simpler time within the ring than he did with the dimensions.
The previous three-division titlist salvaged a near-disastrous weekend with a first-round knockout of Saul Sanchez. Casimero scored two knockdowns earlier than he compelled the ending at 2:41 of the opening spherical Saturday at Yokohama Budokan in Yokohama, Japan.
Grave concern was expressed over the primary occasion even shifting ahead after Casimero twice blew weight. The official weigh-in ceremony on Saturday noticed Casimero initially weigh greater than two kilos over the contracted 122-pound restrict. He was solely capable of get all the way down to 123 ¼ kilos after the ultimate try.
Sanchez’s crew conditionally agreed to maneuver ahead with the struggle. Casimero was required to commit to 2 extra weigh-ins on struggle day—as soon as within the morning, and once more as he arrived on the venue. The visiting Filipino got here right on every event to all of the present to go on as deliberate.
It was all one-way visitors from there.
Casimero damage Sanchez with the primary punch he landed within the struggle. Sanchez was in bother and compelled to the touch his gloves to the canvas throughout the first 20 seconds of the bout. Referee Yuji Fukuchi accurately dominated the sequence as a knockdown and issued a compulsory eight-count.
Sanchez tried in useless to struggle again, and managed to land a left hook halfway by the spherical. It solely infuriated Casimero, who got here roaring again. He missed wildly with a left hook however was capable of slip a counter proper. Casimero made Sanchez pay with a follow-up left hook to place the California native flat on his again.
Someway, Sanchez recovered in time to beat the rely. Casimero was relentless in his pursuit to shut the present. Each punch was thrown with knockout intentions. A ultimate proper hand induced Sanchez to wobble and the referee to intervene.
Casimero (34-4-1, 23 knockouts) is now unbeaten in his final 15 begins. Nevertheless, the run additionally features a attract his earlier struggle and having left his WBO 118-pound in England after failure to adjust to their struggle week weight administration guidelines.
Sanchez (21-4, 12KOs) is now 3-3 in his previous six fights and 1-2 on the yr. He opened 2024 with a Combat of the 12 months-level majority choice defeat to then WBO bantamweight titlist Jason Moloney. Sanchez rebounded with an eight-round choice over Arthur Villanueva in July, additionally at bantamweight. His transfer up in weight took a disastrous flip.
Casimero beforehand held main titles at junior flyweight, flyweight and bantamweight.
A better dedication might want to come at junior featherweight earlier than he can show to problem for the crown. Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) holds The Ring championship and all 4 main titles on the weight. The 2 have been because of meet in an April 2020 three-belt unification bout at bantamweight, just for the pandemic to kill these plans.
There was free discuss of the struggle making its manner again to the schedule in 2025, ought to Inoue stay at 122.
A giant query surrounding Casimero is that if any promoter is keen to take an opportunity on the troubled 35-year-old. Former 130-pound titlist Masayuki Ito introduced Casimero aboard to his TB Promotions outfit however was postpone by this weekend’s pre-fight occasions. Inoue’s crew has beforehand expressed curiosity in revisiting the struggle, but additionally calls for the utmost professionalism for its occasions.
