JOHNRIEL Casimero kept his interim World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight belt and earned a shot at regular WBO champion Zolani Tete after a 10th round knockout of Mexican challenger Cesar Ramirez last Aug. 24, 2019 at the San Andres Civic and Sports Center in Manila.

The 30-year-old Casimero knocked Ramirez out with a left upper-right straight combination in the 2:23 mark.

Casimero dropped Ramirez in the third, fifth and seventh before knocking him out cold in the 10th.

Casimero, a three division world champion, improved to 28-4 with 19 knockouts, while Ramirez dropped to 18-4 with 11 knockouts.

Casimero is set to clash with with Tete to unify the WBO belts.

Vincent Astrolabio (14-3, 10 KOs) defended his WBO Oriental bantamweight belt with a fifth round technical knockout over Kevin Aseniero (9-3-1, 5 KOs) in the main supporting bout.

In the undercard, former Olympian Charly Suarez (3-0, 3 KOs) continued his ascent in the pro ranks with a first round technical knockout over Virgil Puton (17-13-2, 8 KOs), Orlie Silvestre (14-5-2, 8 KOs) settled to a split draw with Ronald Alapormina (4-3-3, 1 KO), Jose Roda Jr. (5-1-2, 1 KO) beat Kelvin Tenorio (4-6, 2 KOs) by split decision, Ruben Dadivas (6-1, 3 KOs) won against Ruben Traza (4-15-4, 1 KO), Reymark Ibones (3-0-2, 1 KO) settled to a technical draw with Mark Henry Escriber (2-2-1, 1 KO) and Criztian Pitt Laurente (3-0, 3 KOs) knocked out Christian Gabeyron (0-3). Meanwhile, Vic Saludar wasn’t as lucky as he lost his WBO minimumweight crown after a unanimous decision defeat to challenger Wilfredo Mendez on Aug. 25 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

One judge saw it as a lopsided contest with 117-110 score, one had it 116-111, while another scored it closer at 115-112.

Saludar dropped to 19-4 with 10 knockouts, while Mendez improved to 14-1 with five knockouts.

Saludar won the WBO minimumweight strap with a unanimous decision win over Ryuya Yamanaka on 2018. He successfully defended it once last Feb. 26, 2019 with a unanimous decision over Masataka Yaniguchi.

With 28-year-old Saludar’s defeat, the Philippines now only has four world champions--Manny Pacquiao (WBA), Nonito Donaire Jr. (World Boxing Association), Casimero (WBO) and Jerwin Ancajas (International Boxing Federation). (EKA)