| |
|
Breaking: Casimero versus Donaire - An All-Filipino Unification Fight on August 14
By Ed de la Vega, DDS PhilBoxing.com Sun, 20 Jun 2021

Philippine boxing has really reached the crest!
In the old days, matchmakers will not put two Filipino world champions on the same weight division with two different belts in a unification fight in order to have more Filipino champions. “Mas mabuti kung marami tayong champions”, (It's better if we have more champions) they used to say.
But things had changed.
This change will be more vividly manifested on August 14th when WBO bantamweight king John Riel Casimero will tangle with Nonito Donaire, Jr., the new WBC bantamweight title holder.
Casimero was supposed to defend his belt against the Cuban spitfire, Guillermo Rigondeaux but latest information from Sean Gibbons of the MP Promotions indicates that Rigondeaux is out and Donaire will take his place.
The fight will be at the Dignity Health Center in Carson, California, the site of many memorable fights in the past years.
When Donaire recently won the WBC belt, he stated that he wants to unify the bantamweight belts. He wants a re-match against Naoya Inuoe for the WBA and IBF belts the Japanese holds.
He also wants the WBO belt that is currently in the possession of John Riel Casimero. Donaire indicated that he is not particularly happy to fight a fellow Filipino, but he does not have a choice if he wants to unify all the belts and be called the King of the Bantamweights.
According to Sean Gibbons of the MP Promotions, Casimero also wants to unify the belts and be the “first Pinoy in history to unify the belts”. Therefore, when the opportunity came, he said “Heck yes!”.
Rigondeaux apparently left for Cuba already. Whether he was given a “step-aside fee” is not yet clear. But that would not be too far fetched.
Stay tuned for more. The official announcement is said to be made at the fight between Inuoe and Dasmariñas at the Virgin Hotels tonight June 19th, 2021 Vegas time.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
LESTER MARTINEZ VS. LUKA PLANTIC ANNOUNCEMENT PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES , Wed, 01 Jul 2026KORONADAL SLUGFEST: I’m always ready – Roherstrey Jhon Yor By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 01 Jul 2026THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 29 JUNE 2026: Paro UD Crocker for IBF Welter Title; Ennis Stops Zayas in 7 for WBA, WBO Welter Titles; Wins by Whittaker, Vargas and Tucker; Valenzuela KO2 De Los Santos By Eric Armit, , Tue, 30 Jun 2026Rising Featherweight Star Jaycob "The Raging Bull" Ramos Signs Exclusive Management Agreement with Boxing VIP , Tue, 30 Jun 2026Clarion to leave on July 2 for WBC Youth title By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 30 Jun 2026Gustavo Trujillo Stays Undefeated with Devastating Seventh-Round Knockout at Fist of Fury 11 , Tue, 30 Jun 2026World Boxing Council Unveils Special July 4th Commemorative Belt Honoring USA 250th Anniversary By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 30 Jun 202612-Year-Old Filipina Memory Prodigy Georgina Santos to Represent the Philippines in Two World Memory Championships By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 30 Jun 2026World championship mega-fight between Christian Mbilli and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez postponed to October , Mon, 29 Jun 2026Filipino Jonas Magpantay wins Indonesia; pockets $15,000, gains steam heading to Vietnam By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 29 Jun 2026Ex-kickboxer to debut in MMA Slugfest By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 29 Jun 2026Deaño settles to a draw By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 28 Jun 2026Abdyrakhmanov defeats Kadiev, Kudryashov knocks out Yousefi at IBA Bare Knuckle 5 in Moscow , Sun, 28 Jun 2026WBC declares German Agit Kabayel new WBC heavyweight champion after Usyk relinquishes his title By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 28 Jun 20264th Gov. RST MMA Slugfest on July 3 By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 28 Jun 2026Chezka Centeno ready for world 10-ball title defense By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 27 Jun 2026Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis: Breakout Moment in Brooklyn By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 27 Jun 2026GAB Must Look Into Exploitation of Rated Filipino Fighters in Japan By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Sat, 27 Jun 2026TITLE FIGHT ON: Zayas and "Boots" Ennis Hit the Scales for Brooklyn Super-Welterweight Showdown By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 27 Jun 2026USC's Galen Center confirmed as Martinez-Plantic, Lopez-Carrillo venue August 29, live on ProBoxTV , Sat, 27 Jun 2026July 4: Albert Bell Steps In to Challenge Abdullah Mason in All-Ohio WBO Lightweight World Title Showdown at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center LIVE on TNT and DAZN , Fri, 26 Jun 2026Zamboanga relinquishes her ONE Women’s title By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 26 Jun 2026Top-ranked Charly Suarez facing Manuel Avila, plus two more fights added to July 18 ProBoxTV event , Fri, 26 Jun 2026Yanon fights Kaji in Tokyo on July 4 By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 26 Jun 2026Preparations underway for 2026 IBA men’s divisional continental championships , Fri, 26 Jun 2026 |

|
|
|
|
|