WBO bantamweight champion Johnriel Casimero of the Philippines is a peppery package who handily sells his solid warrior wares.
“He’s neither humble nor timid,” wrote veteran Filipino boxing journalist Nick Giongco.
Casimero has a scheduled unification showdown with the mighty unbeaten Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on April 25. Inoue is the WBA and IBF bantamweight champion.
In a fresh report, Giongco said Casimero has been installed an 7-2 underdog in Las Vegas sportsbook windows.
But that cannot be expected to faze the blazing Casimero a bit.
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Inoue is 18-0 with 16 knockouts.
Casimero is 29-4 with 20 knockouts.
“Inoue, he’s got a bit of power,” Casimero had blurted out ahead.
He was not exactly belittling the Japanese bantamweight sensation; just emphasizing his assumed power advantage.
“He’s The Monster, ok, but I’m the real monster,” Casimero had declared at an impromptu press conference before enplaning for Miami for a monthlong conditioning and tutorship under Memo Heredia, popularly known as the master molder who prepared Juan Manuel Marquez for his great knockout victory over Manny Pacquiao in December 2012.
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Casimero is expected to hit Las Vegas from Miami middle of March for the final phase of preparations.
Casimero will show up against Inoue from a startling 3rd round stoppage of South African Zolani Tete in their WBO bantamweight title clash in Birmingham, England, last November.
Inoue’s last outing was against Nonito Donaire in the finale of the World Boxing Super Series that staked the Muhammad Ali Trophy in Saitama, Japan, early December.
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Based on their respective previous fights, many Filipino fans appeared to favor Casimero in the April 25 showdown in Las Vegas.
There are also those who felt Inoue must have left something of his great self in his classic duel against Donaire.
Still there are those who, after taking a second and closer look at the respective last fights of Casimero and Inoue, tended to caution the Filipino puncher against over-confidence.
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A majority of objective spectators like to say that Inoue appeared to be the more complete boxer.
Casimero’s biggest assets are his international experience and great punching power.
Inoue had been tested to the fullest and was nearly stalled by Donaire.
Casimero is clearly on a hot win-win streak.
The April 25 pound-for-pound showdown promises to showcase Casimero’s blazing bombs against Inoue’s technical integrity and awesome sharpness.