DESPITE becoming a world champion last year, Johnreil Casimero still hasn’t gained the respect of the worldwide boxing community.
He wants to change that by beating World Boxing Organization light flyweight champion Ivan Calderon this summer.
Casimero, 20, won the WBO interim light flyweight title over Cesar Canchila last year, flooring the 28-year-old Colombian four times before the fight was stopped in the 11th round.
This time, he will have a tougher foe in the undefeated Calderon, who is 34-0 but only has 6 KOs.
Casimero is 14-0 with 8 KOs.
“If he beats Calderon this is his opportunity to be known,” Casimero’s promoter, Sammy Gello-ani told Sun.Star Cebu.
Gello-ani believes Casimero will do what he did to Canchilla because the young Mandaue-based fighter has the intelligence to adjust to any style his opponent brings to the table.
“He exposed Canchilia and I believe that he can also expose Calderon. If he trains really well,” said the veteran Cebuano promoter.
Casimero started training for the biggest fight of his career at the IPI gym in Mandaue City with trainer Cristopher “Pingping” Tepura. Casimero’s camp might opt to transfer and have an extensive training camp in Baguio or remain in Cebu City for the remainder of the preparation.
Gello-ani said that win or lose, Casimero will gain a lot of experience from fighting one of the best light flyweights.
“This is a great opportunity for Casimero. He is still young and this is his opportunity to face a fighter at the top of the division. It’s a big honor for Casimero to face Calderon,” he said.
Gello-ani said he wasn’t expecting Casimero to face Calderon this early in his career.
If it were up to him, and not up to WBO, which mandated both champions to face each other, he would have given the youngster two more fights.
Although Calderon is 35 years old, which is normally old for a boxer, Gello-ani isn’t taking him lightly because he believes that the veteran Puerto Rican star is still is at the top of his game.
“I don’t believes Calderon is on his way down. He started his career late. When I was in Puerto Rico, I saw him everyday in the gym. He is a very disciplined fighter.
Although his age is already up he still has the ability to beat anyone.”