Naoya Inoue To Face John Riel Casimero April 25!
At a January 31 press conference in Tokyo, WBA/IBF world Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) along with his handlers at the Ohashi Gym announced that Inoue will next step in the ring on April 25 to face WBO world Bantamweight John Riel Casimero (29-4, 20 KOs) at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This will be the first time back in the ring for the Japanese superstar since his riveting November 7 win over Nonito Donaire in the WBSS Bantamweight tournament final.
Fully recovered from a left eye injury suffered in that bout (a fractured orbital bone), the man known affectionately as “Monster” is looking forward to this unification clash against Casimero.
The 26-year-old looks at this fight as a stepping stone towards his ultimate goal of becoming undisputed at 118 lbs.
“A match that is indispensable for uniting the four groups in the bantamweight class. It is exciting.”
Casimero initially was scheduled to be a part of the press conference to announce the fight. Although, visa issues prevented the 29-year-old Filipino from attending.
In describing his foe, Inoue was respectful, calling him as a dangerous opponent. However, he expressed extreme confidence that he has enough to take care of business.
“I have a dangerous punch. I’m not just rushing, I’m doing bargains. I think that there is enough career to win the third class. I am not a player who won only with power.
“We just play the game as usual.”
There is some low-key tension between the two men. Following his upset win over Zolani Tete to capture the WBO Bantamweight strap on November 30, 2019, Casimero called for a bout against Inoue who responded by immediately accepting the challenge.
These are two highly accomplished fighters (each are three-division world champions) who bring exciting styles and power to the table. Set to air on ESPN in the U.S., look for this unification showdown to be an explosive, fan-friendly contest.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
