In recent memory, there is nothing more disheartening than John Reil Casimero’s unanimous decision over Kyonosuke Kameda in a 10-round catchweight bout at 58kg (about 128 pounds) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Coming into that fight, he and his brother were so confident that they challenged and encouraged fans to bet on the result, promising a knockout victory.
Now, his legacy is in question, with some labeling him simply as a wasted talent.
BACKGROUND. This Merida, Leyte native’s early career was a whirlwind of regional dominance and his international breakthrough came in December 2009, when he stopped César Canchila in the 11th round to win the interim WBO light flyweight title in Nicaragua.
He followed that up with a 10th-round TKO victory over Luis Alberto Lazarte for the IBF junior flyweight title in February of 2012, in a fight which became known for the post-fight riot ringside.
He would defend the belt three times, including split and unanimous decisions over Pedro Guevara and Luis Alberto Rios, and an 11th-round TKO of Felipe Salguero.
He later moved up in weight and avenged a prior loss to Amnat Ruenroeng in 2016 with a fourth-round knockout to claim the IBF flyweight title in Beijing, to become a two-division champion. After a successful defense against Charlie Edwards, he won the WBO bantamweight title with a 12th-round KO over Ricardo Espinoza Franco, followed by another KO defense against Cesar Ramirez.
The defining moment arrived in November 2019, when he dethroned Zolani Tete with a third-round KO in England to become a three-division world champion. Two more defenses followed: a third-round TKO of Duke Micah in 2020 and a split decision over the elusive Guillermo Rigondeaux in 2021.
CRACKS. Unfortunately, seeds of his downfall started in 2022 when he had to withdraw from a scheduled defense due to medical concerns, but then violated guidelines by using a sauna for weight cutting ahead of the April reschedule. The WBO stripped him of the title, but this marked the beginning of a seeming lack of professionalism that eroded his credibility.
Meanwhile, his antics outside the ring did nothing to bolster his image. In 2022, Casimero faced charges of acts of lasciviousness and sexual assault stemming from an alleged 2021 incident. He and his brother Jayson also engaged in a heated social media feud with sports commentator Pow Salud, and in October 2024, confronted Cebuano boxing judge Edward Ligas over a comment the latter made, after his TKO victory over Saul Sanchez in Yokohama, Japan.
Additionally, weight issues persisted. He missed the 122-pound limit against Sanchez, resulting in a one-year suspension from the Japan Boxing Commission. This ban, combined with his inactivity, highlighted a drastic drop in ring appearances.
He fought only twice in 2023 (both victories) and only once in 2024 against Saul Sanchez, but that victory was overshadowed by a weight miss and suspension.
KAMEDA. Coming into the Kameda fight, fight fans online were critical of Casimero’s physique, noting that he seemed to have ballooned two weight classes due to the inactivity. It didn’t help matters when he engaged fellow fighters and trainers in verbal tussles, flaunting a somewhat haughty attitude that turned off a lot of his admirers.
(For the record, not this Last Rounder, as personally, I think he’s just being true to his nature and as long as he keeps it legal, then it’s none of my business).
In the Kameda fight, however, he seemed outclassed and unable to land his signature power shots. Casimero was sluggish, raising questions about his ability to compete at a higher weight.
I blame all of this on inactivity and the struggle to make weight. To date, Casimero’s record stands at 34-5-1, but his future remains uncertain.
It’s actually a confluence of a lack of discipline and off-ring distractions. I recall the legendary Bernard Hopkins- one of the greatest fighters in history, whose success was tethered to a manic drive for maintaining his fighting weight. In a sport where discipline defines champions, Hopkins once said that anybody could wake him up in his sleep and weigh him because he would still be a middleweight.
I still have hope for Casimero, as his wounds are evidently self-inflicted, but at age 36, time is indeed running out for “Quadro Alas”. There are only so many shuffles left on that deck. Get your act together, Casimero.
LAST ROUND. It’s on Hon. Karen Flores Garcia of the 3rd district of Cebu, who recently celebrated her birthday. Cheers!