What do Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire and John Riel Casimero have all in common?
Yeah, they are all power-punchers.
But they are heavy-hitters of a different breed.
According to two-time world title challenger Edito “Ala” Villamor, Pacquiao, Donaire and Casimero fall in the enviable bracket of “gifted fighters.”
“There are lots of fighters who hit hard but not everyone have that extra force at the point of impact of a punch,” Villamor told Daily Tribune.
A Cebuano, Villamor could not remember the right Tagalog word and with a little help from his caller, the 51-year-old head trainer of Villamor Brothers Gym in Mandaue, was relieved being told of the perfect description.
“Casimero’s punches have what you call in Tagalog as ‘diin,’” the 51-year-old cornerman said.
“(The punches of) Pacquiao and Donaire have that shocking effect. Casimero also has that, too.”
To explain it further, Villamor said four-division champion Donnie Nietes has a strong punch but it doesn’t have what he said was the extra kick.
Villamor got a first-hand experience of Casimero’s furious fists a few days ago when the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion kickstarted his training camp for the 26 April title defense against British mandatory challenger Paul Butler in Liverpool, England.
“Very strong. The quality of his punches is the same as those of Pacquiao and Donaire,” said Villamor, who did the punch mitts for two rounds with Casimero.
Villamor said Casimero should be sparring anytime soon.
“He looks just about ready to do sparring because he is already in good shape,” Villamor added.
Casimero was originally scheduled to face Butler last December in Dubai but the Filipino puncher fell sick on the day of the weigh-in and was brought to the hospital.
The WBO allowed him to keep the title but made it clear that in the event he is unable to take part in the weigh-in for the Butler defense in England, he will automatically be stripped.
Casimero appears to be dead-serious in making up for the Dubai misfortune with a smashing showing in the United Kingdom.
Just ask Villamor about how it felt absorbing Casimero’s heavy blows.
“His punches do hurt a lot,” he said.
