Purse set for Casimero title defense under Probellum

John Riel Casimero —AFP

MANILA, Philippines—WBO World bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero is set to pocket upwards of $75,000 in his next defense against mandatory challenger Paul Butler, according to a report from BoxingScene.com.

Upstart promotional outfit Probellum won the bid hearing held by WBO held Friday with the company’s submission of $105,000, $5,000 higher than the minimum $100,000 requirement, becoming the lone entry into the process.

Probellum aims to hold Casimero’s title defense on December 11 in either Dubai, United Arab Emirates or Liverpool, England.

Casimero (31-4), as the champion, is entitled to 75 percent of the purse guaranteeing him a total of $78,750 while Butler (33-2) will pocket the remaining share or $26,250 as the mandatory challenger.

WBO held the bidding after TGB Promotions’ Tom Brown, who is representing Casimero, and MTK Global’s Lee Eaton, who’s acting for Butler, could not agree on a deal.

The fight was originally ordered for September 22 but Eaton requested that the fight go straight to a purse bid.

Casimero, furthermore, was supposed to fight WBC champion Nonito Donaire in August for a unification bout but negotiations fell apart after the former made defamatory remarks towards the latter’s wife and family.

Donaire also alleged that Casimero wasn’t enrolled within the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association system.

Casimero instead defeated Guillermo Rigondeaux via split decision in his last defense of the WBO strap.