Filipino boxer Casimero seeks lost glory against Ruenroeng

MANILA, Philippines – Johnriel Casimero will be in enemy territory when he challenges IBF flyweight champion Amnat Ruenroeng on Saturday, June 27 in Bangkok, Thailand.

It’ll be Casimero’s first time fighting in the Southeast Asian country, but in many ways he’s in familiar territory.  

The 25-year-old Casimero (21-2, 13 knockouts) from Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines will be fighting in his seventh different country since turning professional in 2007.

Along the way he has often confronted disadvantageous – even unsafe – circumstances in search of boxing glory.

His greatest moment, a 2012 knockout of Luis Lazarte to win the interim IBF junior flyweight title in Argentina, was marred by a post-fight riot that forced Casimero to hide under the ring to escape tormentors. 

He lost the belt two years later with far less drama, after weighing in nearly 6 pounds over the 108-pound limit for his fourth title defense against Mauricio Fuentes.  

Now, Casimero tries to win a title belt in his second weight class, starting from the bottom once more.

“I miss being a champion,” Casimero says.

The fight will be broadcasted in the Philippines the following day on TV5, beginning at 1 pm Sunday. A livestream of the fight will be shown on TV5’s website sports5.ph, following broadcast of the Philippine Basketball Association playoff games.

Casimero checked in at the flyweight limit of 112 pounds at Friday’s weigh-in, while Ruenroeng weighed 111.

Hard road out of prison

Standing in Casimero’s way is the 35-year-old Ruenroeng, who has had as much success in the last year and a half as anyone in the sport, defeating unbeaten fighters Kazuto Ioka and Zou Shiming, plus tough contenders Rocky Fuentes and McWilliams Arroyo. 

Ruenroeng, who had to travel to Japan and Macau for his conquests of Ioka and Shiming respectively, assured Casimero earlier this week that he wouldn’t have to worry about unfair circumstances.Ruenroeng, too, has had a rough road to the sport’s pinnacle. The second grade dropout and former drug addict earned his release from a 15-year prison sentence for robbery after winning the national amateur title in 2006.

“Don’t worry about a hometown decision because the judges and referee are not from Thailand,” said Ruenroeng.

Casimero is trying to join RING magazine junior flyweight champ Donnie Nietes as the second current reigning world champion from the Philippines.

Casimero also seeks to become the first Filipino boxer to beat Ruenroeng since Harry Tanamor defeated him in the semifinals at the 2007 World Amateur Championships. 

In Ruenroeng’s corner are a pair of Filipino brothers – head trainer Frankie Jaro and assistant trainer Aljoe Jaro. Aljoe Jaro, who runs the Jaro Boxing Gym out of Rizal, Philippines, made his name as a manager/trainer, guiding Florante Condes and Sonny Boy Jaro to world title wins. 

(READ: Denver Cuello to receive title shot after Thailand tuneup)

Aljoe Jaro has deflected any criticism that goes along with working a corner opposite one of his countrymen. 

“This is only a job for me. I will be happy whichever boxer will be the winner,” said Jaro. “Casimero says he will knock out Amnat. But I think if he does not knock him out, he’ll be behind the skill of Amnat.

“We have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C. This fight will look like a small version of Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather.”

To get up for the challenge, Casimero went out to Las Vegas in February, rooming with former WBO junior bantamweight titleholder Marvin Sonsona. Casimero trained at the Vegas gyms of Floyd Mayweather Jr and Roy Jones Jr, and spent three weeks at Shane Mosley’s gym in Big Bear, Calif. 

More times than not, Filipino boxers come into Thailand and leave with a loss on their record. Casimero’s banking on his combination of youth and experience, plus international training to carry him to victory against one of the most skillful boxers of the lower weight divisions.

“I was able to spar with a lot of talented people there who weren’t Pinoys (Filipinos),” Casimero says. “I feel I’ll be a champion again.” – Rappler.com

Ryan Songalia is the sports editor of Rappler, a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and a contributor to The Ring magazine. He can be reached at ryan.songalia@rappler.com. Follow him on Twitter: @RyanSongalia.