WITH just a couple of pounds left to shave off, former world champion Johnriel Casimero is good to go for his title eliminator bout in Mexico this weekend.
?Team Casimero arrived in Los Angeles Sunday night and after an overnight rest, he continued his light workout today to shed the remaining excess of his weight before flying to Mexico City on Wednesday (Thursday RP time),? SGG Promotions head and Casimero?s promoter Sammy Gello-ani told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
Casimero is fighting in a 12-round International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight title eliminator against Mexican Armando Santos on Sunday (RP time) at the Salon Las Palmas in Pesqueria, Nuevo Leon.
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?Today (yesterday), he tipped the scale at 115 pounds and, surely, there is no problem getting the 112-pound limit on the scheduled weigh-in on Friday (Saturday),? said Gello-ani.
Loss
The 24-year-old Casimero lost his IBF light flyweight title on the scales in a title defense last May in Cebu City after weighing-in over the 108-pound limit. He, however, won the bout impressively and knocked out Mauricio Fuentes in one round.
Casimero trained in Manila under Jun Agrabio Jr., who also trained former world champion Marvin Sonsona, for this fight.
?He can easily get his weight limit and, surely, he will not be starving. Casimero is excited into this elimination fight for No. 1 and he is self motivated and has strong desire to be a champion again,? said Agrabio Jr.
The winner of this title eliminator will become the No. 1 flyweight in the IBF. Amnat Ruenroeng is the current IBF flyweight titleholder and he is slated to defend his belt against Chinese superstar Zou Shiming in March.
Santos
The 26-year-old Santos has won six of his last seven fights with his latest fight, a draw with Javier Franco.
Santos last tasted defeat in 2011, against one of the elite names in the lower weight divisions, World Boxing Council super flyweight champion Carlos Cuadras.
Casimero is 20-2 with 12 knockouts, while Santos is 14-3-1 with eight knockouts.
?With the attitude shown by Casimero towards this fight, I believe and very positive that he can get what he had prepared for this fight,? said Gello-ani.
