Casimero: I tried my best to make weight

CEBU CITY, Philippines – John Riel Casimero, stripped of the IBF light-flyweight belt for failing to make weight the other day, said there’s no way for him to go but up.

“Babawi ako (I will bounce back),” said the 24-year-old Filipino during yesterday’s pocket press conference, just hours before the fight.

The native of Cebu said he will move up to the flyweight division.

Casimero was scheduled to face Colombia’s Mauricio Fuentes last night at the Waterfront Hotel in the main bout of the Pinoy Knockout card presented by TV5.

But he failed to make weight, coming in five pounds over the limit. He was stripped of the title and if he beats Fuentes, the title will be declared vacant.

Casimero was at 115 lb two days before the weigh-in. Yesterday morning he said he weighed 120 lb.

Fuentes, 24, doesn’t speak English and hardly spoke during the press conference. But he said he will try his best. If he beats Casimero, he will bring home the crown.

Casimero sat at the head table, hair dyed and earphones on, and the IBF belt sitting right in front of him.

He said he tried his best to make weight but his body shut down on him.

“Nag-monitor naman kami pero hindi na talaga kaya ng katawan ko. Sa isip kaya ang katawan ko suko na (My body can’t make it anymore),” he said.

When he tipped the scales at 113.25 lb Friday, he knew it was useless to try and lose the excess pounds.

“Baka may mangyari pa na masama sa akin (Something bad might happen to me),” he added.

“Nagsisisi kami kasi pinag-hirapan namin ang title na ito tapos natalo lang sa weigh-in,” said Casimero, now the ex-IBF light-fly champion.

His promoter, Sammy Gello-ani, could only shake his head. He said it was inevitable for Casimero to move up as his body grows but said losing the title on the scales was not the way to go.

“We won that title the hard way and lost it the easy way,” said the amiable Cebuano boxing figure.

Casimero went to Argentina to fight Jose Luiz Lazarte and went on to score a sensational knockout. But the hometown crowd did not like what happened and turned their ire on the Filipino.

Lazarte loyalists peppered the ring with all types of debris and close to dozen plastic chairs were thrown into the ring. It was an ugly scene.

A couple of Argentine fans found their way on top of the ring and started to attack Casimero and his team, including Gello-ani. The police herded Casimero and his companions to safety.

“Lesson ito sa akin. Next time babawi ako,” said Casimero.