Suntukan nina Casimero at Butler sa Abril sa England

ni Gerard Arce - @Sports | February 1, 2022

Itinakda ang panibagong petsa sa naunsyaming pagtatapat nina WBO bantamweight champion “Quadro Alas” John Riel Casimero at dating IBF 118-pound titlist at challenger Paul “Baby-faced Assassin” Butler sa Abril 23 sa hometown ng title contender sa Liverpool, England matapos magtamo ng pre-fight Gastritis ang Filipinong kampeon.

Itataya ng 31-anyos mula Ormoc City sa ikatlong pagkakataon ang titulong napagwagian sa parehong bansa nung Nobyembre 30, 2019 laban kay Zolani Tete ng South Africa na nagresulta sa third round TKO sa Utilita Arena, Birmingham, West Midlands, sa United Kingdom.

Pansamantalang naantala ang paghaharap nina Casimero (31-4, 21KOs) at Butler (33-2, 15KOs) nung Disyembre 11 sa Dubai, United Arab Emirates matapos itong maospital dulot ng nasabing karamdaman, kung kaya’t hindi ito nakadalo sa nakatakdang weigh-in bago ang laban.

“Please be advised that the WBO World Championship Committee grants sanction approval for the above-referenced Bantamweight Mandatory bout between John Riel Casimero and Butler, scheduled for Saturday, April 23, 2022, in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom,” ayon sa liham na ipinadala ni Luis Batista-Salas, chairman ng WBO Championship Committee sa lahat ng nasasakupang partido na nakuha ng Boxingscene.com.“Thereafter, Casimero had two successful voluntary title defenses against Duke Micah on Saturday, September 26, 2020, at the Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Connecticut, and against Guillermo Rigondeaux on Saturday, August 14, 2021, at the Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California, USA, respectively. Consequently, more than two years have elapsed without a mandatory title defense, and therefore, Casimero must discharge his mandatory defense obligations per WBO Regulations.”

Huling beses dinepensahan ni Casimero ang kanyang titulo kontra kay dating two-time Olympic gold medalist at two-division World champion na si Guillermo “The Jackal” Rigondeaux ng Cuba nung Agosto 14, 2021 sa Dignity Health Sports Park sa Carson, California na nagtapos sa 12-round split decision.