By Jim Maltzman: Nonito Donaire will be replacing Guillermo Rigondeaux against John Riel Casimero in a unification fight at bantamweight on August 14th on Showtime at the Dignity Health Sports Parker, in Carson, California.
Mike Coppinger reporting the news of the unification clash between WBC 118-lb champion Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) and WBO belt-holder Casimero (30-4, 21 KOs) in the main event on Showtime on August 14th.
The winner of the Donaire vs. Casimero clash is expected to take on IBF/WBA 118-lb champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue or Michael Dasmarinas, depending on whichever of the two is victorious tonight in their match on the Top Rank-promoted show on ESPN in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Donaire, 38, and Casimero are both power punchers with a lot of talent. This fight will be a war from start to the bitter finish. Both fighters are from the Philippines, and they both have a ton of power going for them.
Donaire is coming off a big fourth-round knockout win over WBC bantamweight champion Nordine Oubaali on May 29th. That was a bounceback victory for Donaire, as he had lost his previous fight to Naoya Inoue by a 12 round decision in November 2019.
Although the 32-year-old Casimero is slightly younger than Donaire, he’s not as tall and not nearly the same puncher as ‘The Filipino Flash.’
Casimero, 5’4″, will be giving away three inches in height and four and a half inches in reach to the 5’7″ Donaire.
Source: Nonito Donaire is stepping in for Guillermo Rigondeaux and will unify 118-pound titles with John Riel Casimero on Aug. 14. What a fight! Two massive punchers; both Filipinos. Fittingly bout headed to War Grounds in Carson, California. Showtime main event
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) June 19, 2021
The former three-division world champion Casimero recently destroyed previously unbeaten Duke ‘The Baby Faced Terminator’ Micah on September 26th last year on the undercard of the Charlo twins event on Showtime pay-per-view. However, Casimero stole the show with his performance against an outstanding fighter in 2012 Olympian Micah (24-1, 19 KOs).
Things have been going well for Casimero since getting out-boxed by Jonas Sultan in 2017 in a 12 round decision defeat. Since then, Casimero has won his last six fights by knockout, beating these fighters:
- Duke Micah – TKO 3
- Zolani Tete – TKO 3
- Cesar Ramirez – KO 10
- Ricardo Espinoza Franco – KO 12
- Kenya Yamashita – TKO 6
- Jose Pesch – TKO 2
None of those fighters had the experience or the punching power as Donaire, though, so it’s going to be interesting to see if Casimero can find success against him.
The Achilles heel for Casimero deals with fighters with boxing ability, as we saw in his loss to Jonas Sultan. Casimero struggles at times when he faces guys with boxing ability.
Besides Casimero’s defeat against Sultan, he was also out-boxed by Amnat Ruenroeng in 2015, losing a 12 round decision. In 2010, Casimero lost a 12 round decision to Ramon Garcia Hirales.
In Casimero’s only career knockout defeat, he was stopped by Moruti Mthalane in the fifth round in 2011.