Filipino world bantamweight boxing sensation Johnriel Casimero was reported nearing peak form in Las Vegas for his April 25 unification championship clash against Japan’s Naoya Inoue.
Casimero, the WBO bantamweight champion, has gained big following his conquest of South African Zolani Tete in England, which capped a triple winning streak last year.
Casimero was in the midst of what should easily count
as the biggest preparation
in his career.
From a one-month camp in Miami, Florida, he moved to Las Vegas to undergo special training under Mexican conditioning guru Memo Heredia and get exclusive ring lessons from Cuban specialist Pedro Roque.
————————-Casimero continued to declare he has no choice but go monster-hunting against Inoue, billed as the Monster.
Inoue, the IBF and WBA bantamweight champion, holds a sparkling 19-0 record, with 16 knockouts.
Casimero’s record is 29-4, with 20 knockouts.
Top Rank big boss Bob Arum, who has signed Inoue to a multi-deal contract, was looking forward to good attendance and big pay-per-view sales.
Initial sportsbook trending showed Inoue a 7-2 favorite.
Casimero refused to be fazed, and insisted he would overpower and dominate the crafty and vastly disciplined Inoue.
This was before the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which has resulted in lockdowns all over the world.
————————-The contagion also caused the cancellation and postponement of major sporting events like the NBA, the Masters golf tournament and the Premier League, to name only three.
Sorry, but the fast-selling Inoue-Casimero triple world crown unification duel has not been spared.
The major April 25 fight scheduled at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino will not push through.
“The health and safety of our fighters, staff and ESPN production team is the most important concern as we plan our next steps,” Arum announced.
“We look forward to bringing our loyal fans world-class boxing, but exercising caution is of utmost importance at the moment,” the TOP Rank CEO told Boxing Scene.
In the same report, veteran boxing writer Keith Idec said the scheduled April 11 title defense of Filipino Jerwin Ancajas against Mexican Jonathan Rodriguez had also been postponed.
Ancajas has been holed up with chief handler Joven Jimenez in a Makati apartelle, waiting for a go signal to proceed to Las Vegas. INQ