Manila title defense for light-flyweight champ Casimero?

International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight champion Johnriel Casimero’s well-known manager Sammy Gello-ani is tired of his fighter having to win a world title and then defend it in the hometown of the challengers and wants, rather desperately, to help Casimero defend his title before his fans in the Philippines.

Gello-ani spoke to Yahoo Philippines after Casimero successfully defended his title for the second time against highly-touted mandatory challenger and IBF No.1 ranked Luis Alberto Rios of Panama at the Megapolis Convention Center in Panama on Sunday, Manila Time.

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Casimero is basically a fighter who likes to engage but this time around he was in for a major disappointment as Rios was merely content to throw just one or two punches and back off, refusing to fight fire with fire even when Casimero charged forward in an effort to entice the Panamanian to slug it out.

Gello-ani conceded that “there were dull moments during the fight since Rios refused to mix it up or fight toe-to-toe.”

The result was that Casimero, who successfully defended his title for a second time, was content to “throw effective jabs” and control the tempo of the fight to score a lopsided unanimous points decision on the scorecards of judges Levi Martinez of New Mexico, Nelson Vazquez of Puerto Rico and Joe Garcia of Arizona.

Two of the judges had Casimero winning almost by a shutout, 119-109 while the third judge had the Filipino well ahead at 118-110.

Initial media reports out of Panama in the buildup to the title defense of Casimero indicated he faced a tough challenge from the hometown boy but never at any stage in the fight was Casimero even remotely challenged.

In fact, because of the impressive record of Rios, which was 18-1-1 with 13 knockouts, plus the hometown advantage, Casimero trained hard and according to Gello-ani was “well prepared to face whatever Rios brought into the ring.”

Regrettably for the hometown fans in Panama it didn’t turn out to be much and there were muted boos in the later stages of the fight.

Respected boxing writer Jake Donovan of boxingscene.com reported that Casimero “appeared intent to making the fight a back alley brawl” and put pressure on Rios while connecting with power shots from the opening bell. However, Donovan said Rios “failed to stage any sort of a rally and merely threw one punch at a time and clinched every time Casimero landed a combination” even as the champion wanted him to engage as he came forward aggressively.

After his tough first title defense against Pedro Guevara, a split decision win last August by the scores of 114-113, 116-112 and 113-114, this time around it was easy sailing.

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The circumstances were vastly different when Casimero won the title from Argentina’s Luis Lazarte in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires on February 10,2012.

Referee Eddie Claudio deducted a point from Casimero in rounds four and eight while he also deducted a point from Lazarte in round six.

Casimero was dropped in the fifth round while he dropped Lazarte twice in round nine and once in round ten before Claudio called a halt at 1:09 of round ten and awarded Casimero a TKO victory.

A post fight riot by members of the Truckers Union to which Lazarte belonged didn’t even allow officials to award the championship belt to Casimero who together with Gello-ani and his corner-men were forced to take cover after being attacked by unruly fans who threw chairs and other debris into the ring.

In stark contrast, Gello-ani praised officials and fight fans in Panama telling Panamanian reporter Carlos Costa, a frequent visitor to the Philippines, “we feel really good in Panama. The officials and fans are friendly to all of us. In fact we feel happy, just like at home and the weather in Panama is the same as in the Philippines. But make no mistake, we came to Panama to win.”

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Both Gello-ani and Casimero were disappointed that none of the major networks in the Philippines telecast the fights of Casimero and John Mark Apolinario who once again was held to a draw in a rematch for the WBA bantamweight interim title against Roberto “The Spider” Vasquez also a hometown boy.

Gello-ani told us the battle between Apolinario and Vasquez was “an exciting fight” even though it ended in a draw.

Judge Levi Martinez of US gave Apolinario the nod 116-112 while Carla Caiz of US gave it to Vasquez by the same 116-112 margin while the third judge Nelson Vasquez of Puerto Rico scored the fight an even 115-115.

Vasquez was ahead in the early rounds but Apolinario rallied starting the 4th and made his way to finish the 12 rounds.

There was a moment in the 10th round when Vasquez was staggered but Apolinario was unable to take advantage of the moment giving Vasquez time to recover.

Gello-ani said he is hoping to be able to stage Casimero’s next fight which will be a voluntary title defense in either Manila or Cebu.

He said he is “very hopeful” that with the change of management in ABC 5, where former PBA chairman and president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines Ricky Vargas is taking over with Smart Gilas national coach Chot Reyes assuming the leadership of AKTV Sports, Casimero’s next title defense could be staged before his hometown fans.

Casimero's title winning effort against Lazarte and his first defense agaimnst Guevara were both telecast by AKTV IBC 13.