Johnriel Casimero confident about weight issue

MANILA, Philippines — Former two-division world champion Johnriel Casimero has learned his lessons well he has vowed never again to lose the battle with the scales.

Two days before his crucial bout with Mexico’s Cesar Ramirez at the San Andres Sports Complex, the 30-year-old Casimero made sure his weight is on check.

His head trainer, Nonoy Neri, yesterday said at the Elorde Gym in Pasay City the reigning interim WBO bantamweight champion is just 1.6 pounds over the 118-lb limit.

Casimero spoke with a few members of the press on the eve of the official weigh-in. Then he took his shirt off, hopped onto the ring and shadow-boxed for a couple of minutes.

“I’m okay,” said the Filipino fighter, hoping to set up a clash with WBO bantamweight champion  Zolani Tete of South Africa with a victory before Filipino fight fans.

“Less than two pounds na lang,” said Casimero, who had planned to look for a sauna parlor yesterday afternoon to shed off the excess pounds.

Neri, who is part of Team Pacquiao, made sure the former IBF light-flyweight and flyweight champion doesn’t get away with his old habits.

“Not in my watch. But he’s all set. Guhit-guhit na ang katawan (His body is ripped),” said Neri, confident of an impressive showing by Casimero tomorrow night.

Casimero started training as early as June, when he was incredibly heavy at 147 pounds, and by July joined Manny Pacquiao as the latter trained in the US for the Keith Thurman fight.

“I ran with sir Manny everyday,” he said.

Last July 25, Casimero was back in Davao City, and in no time, his weight had gone down as much as he had desired.