Casimero to vacate flyweight title, eyes big fights at 115 pounds

MANILA, Philippines – Two-time boxing champion Johnriel Casimero will vacate his IBF flyweight title and instead look up the scales to bigger fights at junior bantamweight, his promoter Sammy Gello-ani tells Rappler.

The Ormoc City, Leyte native punched his way back to the world championship this past May when he scored a fourth-round knockout of Thailand’s Amnat Ruenroeng in China, avenging a contentious loss a year earlier which was marked by numerous fouls.

Casimero (23-3, 15 knockouts) followed that up with a tenth-round stoppage of previously-unbeaten Charlie Edwards in London this past September on the undercard of the middleweight championship bout between Gennady Golovkin and Kell Brook.

“He’s growing and I think the opportunity is more on super fly. I think flyweight is not anymore competitive,” said Gello-ani Wednesday in Muntinlupa City, where his fighter Jesse Espinas fought to a technical decision win over Lito Dante.

(READ: Johnriel Casimero: The best boxing champ you’ve never heard of)

The title will likely be given up formally by Gello-ani’s partner Sampson Lewkowicz, an adviser and matchmaker based in Las Vegas, Gello-ani says.

The 26-year-old Casimero had previously won a world title at 108 pounds and had said before the Edwards fight that he wanted to move up to 115, where pound-for-pound and WBC champion Roman Gonzalez reigns.

The other titleholders at 115 pounds include WBO titleholder Naoya Inoue of Japan, WBA titleholder Khalid Yafai of England and IBF titleholder Jerwin Ancajas, a Filipino who was in attendance at Wednesday’s show.

“Chocolatito or anybody,” said Gello-ani. “Sad to say, Ancajas is on the super fly and he’s a Filipino. But wherever there is an opportunity, that can be done. Maybe on the WBC also.

“I don’t think we will be fighting small fights at 115.” – Rappler.com