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Philippines, 18 May 2024 |
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Homecoming Weekend Saw Champions Keeping Titles By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Mon, 26 Aug 2019  Kovalev connects at Yarde. Boxing the last weekend saw the long awaited homecoming of three prominent world champion fighters who proceeded to retain their titles in impressive fashion before their home fans. Back in Russian after years fighting generally successfully in the USA, Sergey Kovalev defended his version of the world light heavyweight title by stopping his fledgling but tougher than expected British challenger Anthony Yarde in the penultimate round at the Traktor Arena in Moscow. Returning to the Philippines after years fighting abroad including in China, UK and the USA, the mercurial multi division world titlist Johnriel Casimero made a sensational first defense of his interim IBF world bantamweight title via 10th round knockout of his tall and tough Mexican challenger, Cesar Ramirez in a promotional card helped put up and graced by our Pambansang Kamao Senator Manny Pacquiao. 
Casimero clips Ramirez. Juan Francisco Estrada, after years of campaigning north of the border, also made a rousing homecoming defense of his WBC and the Ring super flyweight titles by stopping his unheralded American challenger Dewayne Beamon. With their victories, the three paved the way for bigger and much higher paying bouts against equally touted opponents later this year or early 2020. Krusher Kovalev is set to collide against Saul Canelo Alvarez in a highly anticipated lucrative super fight in November or December in the USA to be streamed under DAZN which many view as a potential Fight of the Year. Kovalev is aiming to be the first beast from the East to conquer the Aztec ring warrior while the red head Canelo is aiming to be the first Mexican fighter to win four world division titles above 140. In winning his last fight impressively, Casimero has put the locks on a title fight against highly touted popular South African regular WBO champion Zolani Tete later in the year or early next year. Casimero's win over Ramirez also somewhat made up for a weekend that saw Vic Saludar losing his WBO world minimumweight title in Puerto Rico by decision to mandatory challenger Wilfredo Mendez and Carlo Penalosa failing in his bid to win the vacant IBO world flyweight title losing by technical decision to Mexican Max Flores. However, if his camp wants to give Casimero a better chance against the taller and smoother Tete, they better do something and fast about Johnriel's issues with weight and stamina and to make more and better use of his left hand that noticeably could have have been the key to an easier and earlier win over Ramirez. It is still unclear if Estrada will opt for a title unification fight versus WBA titlist Khalid Yafai of UK as was bruited about after his Beamon victory, as bouts against other division world titlists as Filipino Jerwin Ancajas (IBF) and Japanese Kazuto Ioka (WBO) are also worth looking into. Estrada had earlier expressed desire to tangle with Ancajas but opted for what amounted to a get busy or tune up against Beamon with his titles on the line. That brought up sad memories of his first homecoming fight in 2014 against rated Filipino Jobert Alvarez which was originally for defense of then world flyweight titles but was hastily changed to a non title fight when Gallo failed to meet the weight limit to the protest and anguish of the Alvarez camp. Estrada was also awarded a highly questionable UD win over Alvarez which the Filipino corner also protested against, in vain. Let us hope Ancajas goes on to meet Estrada sooner than later for the chance to avenge the losses of Brian Viloria and Milan Melindo and the raw deal on Alvarez. The author Teodoro Medina?Reynoso?is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines.?? He can be reached at?teddyreynoso@yahoo.com?and by phone 09215309477. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.  |
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