Philippines, 14 Mar 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Saturday: Tete-Casimero Bantamweight World Title Coming Exclusively to ESPN+

PhilBoxing.com




(Nov. 26, 2019) — South African southpaw Zolani Tete, the WBO bantamweight world champion, will make his first title defense in more than a year against former two-weight world champion John Riel Casimero on Saturday from Arena Birmingham in Birmingham, England.

This will be the fourth title defense for Tete, who withdrew from the World Boxing Super Series tournament earlier this year with a shoulder injury.

Tete-Casimero will headline a scheduled six-bout stream on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.

Tete (28-3, 21 KOs) is unbeaten in 12 bouts dating back to 2012, a streak that includes a brief reign as the IBF junior bantamweight world champion. He moved up to bantamweight in 2016 and captured the interim WBO bantamweight title the following year with a unanimous decision over Arthur Villanueva. He was soon elevated to world champion and, in his first title defense in November 2017, he authored an 11-second knockout over Siboniso Gonya. The KO came on Tete’s first punch of the fight and broke a boxing record for the fastest KO in a world title bout. Tete has defended his belt twice since the Gonya bout, notching decisions over Omar Narvaez and Mikhail Aloyan.

Casimero (28-4, 19 KOs), from Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines, is looking to become the fourth Filipino boxer to win world titles in three weight classes. He reigned as IBF junior flyweight world champion from 2012-2013, and he won the IBF flyweight world title in 2016 with a fourth-round knockout over Amnat Ruenroeng. He has won four consecutive bouts and picked up the interim WBO bantamweight title while Tete was recovering from his injury. He defended the interim belt in August in Manila, stopping Mexican veteran Cesar Ramirez in the 10th round.

In other action from Birmingham:

Lerrone Richards (12-0, 3 KOs) will fight Birmingham native Lennox Clarke (19-0-1, 7 KOs) in a 12-rounder for the vacant British super middleweight title and Clarke's Commonwealth belt. Clarke has won four in a row since the lone draw on his record, while Richard is coming off a decision win over Tommy Langford for the Commonwealth crown.

In a battle of unbeatens, Sam Maxwell (12-0, 10 KOs) will make the first defense of his WBO European junior welterweight title in a 10-rounder versus southpaw Connor Parker (12-0, 1 KO).

Hamzah Sheeraz (9-0, 5 KOs), only 20 years old, will take step up in class when he faces fellow Birmingham native Ryan Kelly (14-2, 7 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Sheeraz is 3-0 with three knockouts in two rounds or less in 2019.

Sam “Bullet” Bowen (15-0, 11 KOs) will make the second defense of his British super featherweight title against Belfast native Anthony Cacace (17-1, 7 KOs) in a 12-round showdown. Bowen won the British title in March with a ninth-round stoppage over Jordan McCorry in a bout that was streamed live on ESPN+.

Dennis “The Menace” McCann (4-0, 3 KOs), a 19-year-old bantamweight prodigy from Maidstone, England, will face Elvis Guillan (9-59-4, 6 KOs) in a scheduled six-rounder.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Weights Set in Anaheim: Barboza Jr. and Sims Jr. Ready for Welterweight War; Collazo Defends Titles
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Rising Young Star Yoenis Tellez Takes on Top Contender Brian Mendoza in New Co-Main Event of PBC Pay-per-View Event Available on Prime Video Saturday, March 28
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Five USA Boxers Qualify for Medal Rounds on Day Six of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Rubilen Amit off to hot start in her WPBA debut
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Pavel Sosulin stops Victor Nagbe to remain unbeaten at IBA Pro 15 in Saint Petersburg
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Nicaraguan Boxing Commission hold Annual Awards to 2025 winners
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • BARBOZA JR. VS. SIMS JR. FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Skye Nicolson Headlines Huge Matchroom Boxing Homecoming in Melbourne as New Kayo Sports TV Era Begins on April 29
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Five Boxers Advance on Day Five of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Canoy to fight Balidio on March 14 in Matanao
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Weights From ProBoxTV’s ‘Lopez vs. Gallegos’ at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida, Tomorrow Night at 8 pm EDT
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Jonny Mansour Takes on William King as One Half of a Double Main Event at Frontwave Arena’s SD Fight Night: Family Business on Saturday, April 18, 2026
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Rising Contender Jalen “Skywalker” Walker Signs with Wise Owl Boxing
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: Unsung Heroes and the Value of Service
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • Ronald, eldest son of boxing legend Tommy Hearns, will be his guardian and conservator
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • Remembering Gilberto Mendoza in the 10th Anniversary of His Passing
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • Air Force, Elite teams in Best of the Best Karate tourney
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • Chavez brothers to return on April 25
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • ProBox & Teiken Announce Co-Promotional Deal with World-Ranked Bantamweight Contender Katsuma Akitsugi
    , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • Team USA Earns Three More Wins on Day Four of World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • Casimero vs Nery for WBA Gold Super Bantamweight Title April 18 in Kyrgyzstan!
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • United States Completes Day Three of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup With Five Wins
    , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • 83 Points! Bam Adebayo makes the second-highest score in NBA league history
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • Renz Paolo Nool rules 5th Kenz Gambit Chess Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 12 Mar 2026
  • Benavidez-Ramirez presents his mega fight on "WBC Tuesday Coffe" in Mexico City
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 11 Mar 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.