Edwards: Casimero is no Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines - Charlie Edwards, a young British fighter, knows what he’ll be up against when he climbs the ring against Filipino champion Johnriel Casimero.

Casimero vowed to knock Edwards out, keep his IBF flyweight crown and take the first flight home.

But Edwards, three years younger and undefeated in eight fights as a pro, is unfazed.

The British boxer with boy band looks only knows one thing: Casimero is no Manny Pacquiao.

“We have sat down and watched him. He is slow-footed, which I was very shocked at. When I got told about him, a Filipino, I thought he’d be quick, rapid like Manny Pacquiao,” he told Fight News.

“But he is very slow-footed. He can punch with both hands but I think what is going to beat him is my awkwardness, my movement. And he’s very one-paced. He doesn’t really have a lot of gears,” Edwards added.

“I don’t know, I look at him and I just think, ’I’ve got every attribute to beat you.’ That’s why, going into this fight, whatever he’s got, I will do better,” he said.

The fight is in the undercard of the explosive world middleweight title clash between superstar Gennady Golovkin of Kazakhstan and Englishman Kell Brook.

Golokvin is the reigning middleweight champion, and is favored to win the battle between unbeaten fighters. Golovkin is 35-0 with 32 KOs; Brook 36-0 with 25 KOs.

Casimero is one of four Filipino world champions aside from WBO super-bantamweight titlist Nonito Donaire Jr., WBO bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales and newly crowned IBF junior-bantamweight champion Jerwin Ancajas.

Donnie Nietes vacated his WBO light-flyweight crown two weeks ago, and will make his awaited debut in the flyweight class against Mexican Edgar Sosa in Carson, California on Sept. 24.