Second chance for Casimero

Ormoc City’s Johnriel Casimero was only six years old when Luis Lazarte made his pro boxing debut in 1996. On Feb. 10, they’ll face off for the vacant IBF lightflyweight champion at Club Once Unidos, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina and Casimero vows to show no respect for his elder.

It’s a lucky break for Casimero who last March, lost to IBF flyweight titlist Moruti Mthalane via a mysterious fifth round stoppage in his first attempt to claim a world crown in Johannesburg. The bout against Lazarte was originally for the interim championship but the IBF later decided to vacate the throne with titleholder Ulises Solis unable to defend the belt after suffering a broken jaw in a street altercation with WBC lightmiddleweight champion Saul Alvarez. Solis’ fighting weight is 108 pounds compared to Alvarez’ 154 so you can imagine the damage on the IBF champion when they tangled.

Casimero’s promoter Sammy Gello-ani says he couldn’t be happier for the star of the Omega Boxing Club in Cebu. Matchmaker Sean Gibbons broke the news of the title fight and confirmed that the IBF will recognize the Casimero-Lazarte winner as the new champion.

“Casimero wasn’t himself when he fought Moruti,” relates Gello-ani. “First, he took the fight with only a few weeks’ notice. After he lost to (Ramon) Garcia on a split decision in Mexico, Casimero did odd jobs in Ormoc and thought of retiring from boxing. Then, the opportunity came to fight Moruti. In Johannesburg, Casimero was never hurt but couldn’t breathe properly because of the high altitude. In the middle of the fifth round, he just turned his back and walked back to his corner. There was too little time to acclimatize to the conditions and Casimero couldn’t get going.”

There was an offer for Casimero to return to South Africa for an IBO flyweight title bout last October but Gello-ani thumbed it down. “I felt he wasn’t ready,” says Gello-ani. “Instead, I got him a fight in Cebu against (Roemart) Sentillas and he won by a second round knockout. Sampson (Lewkowicz) arranged the fight against Lazarte and we’re excited to make it happen. During the holidays, Casimero took only a two-day break from training. He knows this is his second chance to win a world title and there might not be a third.”

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Gello-ani will accompany Casimero and trainer Christopher Tepura to Buenos Aires. They plan to leave early next week even as the Argentinian organizers booked their hotel starting Feb. 4. “If we can leave on Feb. 1, we’ll do it,” says Gello-ani. “We’re working on our visas so we can get to Buenos Aires earlier to acclimatize.”

It will be the fourth attempt by a Filipino to win a world title fight in Argentina. So far, none has succeeded. In 1956, Pascual Perez outpointed Filipino Leo Espinosa to retain his world flyweight crown at the Luna Park, Buenos Aires. In 1993, Filipino Morris East lost his WBA superlightweight title to Juan Martin Coggi on an eighth round stoppage in Mar del Plata. And in 2006, Omar Narvaez retained his WBO flyweight diadem with a unanimous 12-round decision over Filipino challenger Rexon Flores in Cordoba.

“This is a gift from heaven,” says Gello-ani. “We never expected it to be a title fight but here it is. I told Casimero this is his time and he’s got to grab it. Lazarte is now 40. He’ll be 41 by March. He’s not as tough as he used to be while Casimero is at his peak. Casimero will turn 22 three days after the fight.”

Casimero won his first 14 outings before dropping a heartbreaker to Garcia in an interim WBO lightflyweight title bout in July 2010. He was fresh from a spectacular 11th round knockout victory over highly-touted Colombian Cesar Canchila in Nicaragua when disaster struck. Casimero couldn’t cope with the steamy atmosphere in Los Mochis and failed to sustain his attack in losing by a split decision. His record is 15-2, with nine KOs.

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Lazarte was frustrated in his first four tries to capture a world title by WBO minimumweight champion Kermin Guardia on a split decision in Argentina in 1999, WBC flyweight titlist Pongsaklek Wonjongkam by a second round knockout in Thailand in 2001, Narvaez on a disqualification in Argentina in 2002 and WBC lightflyweight ruler Edgar Sosa on another disqualification in Mexico in 2007.

Finally, two years ago, Lazarte wrested the IBF lightflyweight crown from Carlos Tamara on a split decision in Buenos Aires. On his third defense, Lazarte was dethroned by Solis last April. He’s coming off a 12-round win on points over Nerys Espinosa last September. Lazarte’s record is 49-10-2, with 18 KOs. The Argentinian has a wealth of experience behind him with 61 total fights compared to Casimero’s 17 but the Filipino isn’t fazed.

“I think Casimero has what it takes to become a world champion and he’ll prove it against Lazarte,” says Gello-ani. “Garcia, the Mexican who beat Casimero, came over to fight Donnie Nietes last year and we arranged some sparring. I watched Casimero toy with Garcia. That was when I realized how he has developed. I even held Casimero back from beating up Garcia. After he lost to Garcia and Moruti, I spoke with Casimero and told him that his future is in boxing, that he can earn a lot of money from boxing, money that he’ll never earn working in construction or as a dockhand in Ormoc. He’s young, strong and very skilled. I have a good feeling that he’ll make every Filipino proud in Argentina.”

Casimero is a mainstay of the Omega Boxing Club owned by Pio Castillo of International Pharmaceuticals whose major products are Omega Pain-Killer liniment and Casino Rubbing Alcohol.