Philippines, 20 Jan 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:

  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 18 JANUARY 2026: Nikita Tszyu-Michael Zerafa End in No Contest; Raul Curiel Outpoints Jordan Panthen
    By Eric Armit, , Mon, 19 Jan 2026
  • Ryan Daye ready for WBC title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Mon, 19 Jan 2026
  • RAUL “EL CUGÁR” CURIEL CRUISES TO UNANIMOUS DECISION WIN OVER JORDAN “THE PATRIOT” PANTHEN
    , Sat, 17 Jan 2026
  • Weights from Philadelphia
    , Sat, 17 Jan 2026
  • Mexico Commemorates 12th Death Anniversary of Don Jose Sulaiman (Photos)
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 17 Jan 2026
  • MOLLY McCANN EYES 'HUGE' STATEMENT START TO 2026 AS SHE JOINS BUMPER WOOD-WARINGTON CARD IN NOTTINGHAM ON FEBRUARY 21
    , Sat, 17 Jan 2026
  • NEW MAIN EVENT ANNOUNCED! RAUL CURIEL SCHEDULED TO FACE JORDAN PANTHEN IN MIDDLEWEIGHT SCRAP
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • SMALLS VS RAMOS TOPS STACKED UNDERCARD FOR NAVARRETE-NUNEZ BLOCKBUSTER IN GLENDALE
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Usyk Linked to Zuffa Boxing Deal as Questions Loom Over Title Defenses
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Abass Baraou: "No One Has Been Able to Withstand My Pressure!"
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Wise Owl Boxing Signs Rising Female Star Chantel “Chicanita” Navarro
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Mauricio Sulaiman: WBC wants to protect fighters' dream of becoming a world champion
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Xander Zayas: "It's Time to Make History!"
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Weights from Trenton, NJ
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Pro Boxer and Recent Grad Returns for Fight Night on the Farm — Celebrating Stanford’s Boxing Community
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Jamaine Ortiz Aims to Derail Keyshawn Davis’ Undefeated Streak at Madison Square Garden
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • “No bad blood from me”- Good friends become better rivals – Clarke is ready for Cruiserweight title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Itauma suffers injury; Magnificent 7 rescheduled to March 28
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Top Super Lightweights Bryan Flores & Starling Castillo Battle in 10-Round Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Harden surpasses Shaquille O'Neal's to become the ninth all-time leading scorer in NBA history
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • “It’s time, LFG” - Holly McMath Trilogy for WBC Title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • IBA President Kremlev encourages sporting organisations to protect women’s sport following Trump’s statement on Imane Khelif
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • REYES, STRICKLAND, BUSTAMANTE & SOUQUET SET FOR HISTORIC SHOWDOWN AT WNT LEGENDS – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • Pumicpic fights Korean in Japan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • No. 1 rated WBA Super Flyweight contender John “Scrappy” Ramirez remains patient and Looks forward to a 2026 World title shot
    , Tue, 13 Jan 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.