Pacquiao stages Casimero bout

Johnreil Casimero, one of three reigning Filipino world champions, defends his International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-flyweight title against Mexican puncher Felipe Salguero in a free-to-the-public show this Saturday night at Makati Coliseum.

Presented by Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, the scheduled 12-rounder will also feature several high-caliber matchups, including world-rated Michael Farenas against Thailand’s Kusol Sor Vorapin and fellow world-ranked Froilan Saludar versus Tawanrong Eusamphan, also of Thailand.

GMA-7 is doing the telecast at 10 p.m.

Casimero is best remembered by fight fans as the rangy puncher who was almost mauled by angry Argentine fans after he beat local bet Luis Alberto Lazarte in February 2012 in Mar del Plata, Argentina.

Casimero (18-2-0 with 10 KOs) will be making his third defense against Salguero (18-4-1 with 13 KOs), who has vowed to bring the 23-year-old Filipino’s head back to his hometown of Toluca.

The night will also mark the professional debut of Pacquiao’s nephew, Joneil Dapidran, who made waves during an amateur tournament staged by the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines late last year in General Santos City.