FILE — In this handout photo provided by Top Rank, Jason Moloney warms up before his bantamweight bout against Leonardo Baez (not pictured) at MGM Grand Conference Center Grand Ballroom on June 25, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines — With the unification bout against Naoya Inoue still up in the air, John Riel Casimero has slightly turned his attention to other potential opponents.
The hard-hitting Filipino recently hinted at possible candidates for his next fight if Inoue remains unavailable.
“If not Inoue, R’W or JM,” he wrote on his Twitter account.
https://twitter.com/casimerojr/status/1282038796410740736?s=20
Casimero, the WBO bantamweight champion, was referring to Rau’shee Warren and Jason Moloney, who responded to the challenge.
“I’m ready! I’m rated #1 and Warren is not even rated. Let’s give the fans a great fight!” Moloney tweeted in reply to Casimero.
I’m ready! 🙋🏼♂️ I’m rated #1 and Warren is not even rated. Let’s give the fans a great fight! 👍🏼
— Jason Moloney (@JasonMoloney1) July 12, 2020
The Australian (21-1, 18 KOs) has yet to win a world title and is currently the WBO’s No. 1 ranked contender at bantamweight following Joshua Greer’s upset loss to Filipino Mike Plania last month.
“I would absolutely love a fight with Casimero,” Moloney told BoxingScene.com recently. “He is a great champion and I have a lot of respect for him. It would be an incredible fight.”
The 30-year-old Casimero (29-4, 20 KOs) has been training in Las Vegas since February. He was supposed to fight Inoue, the IBF and WBA (Super) champion, last April 25 before the coronavirus pandemic.