I wish I can be excited about this. But dulorme is coming off a loss and boots just ko'ed a former world champ last time out.
Casimero: I Know Inoue Is Scared Of Me, Like Donaire; Would Go To Japan To Fight Him
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BY KEITH IDEC
Published Thu Aug 26, 2021, 10:22 AM EDT
John Riel Casimero would welcome an opportunity to challenge Naoya Inoue in Inoue’s home country of Japan.
The WBO bantamweight champion senses, though, that Inoue doesn’t want to face him in what would be an intriguing 118-pound title unification fight. The Philippines’ Casimero discussed a potential showdown with Inoue following his 12-round, split-decision defeat of reluctant challenger Guillermo Rigondeaux on two weeks ago in Carson, California.
“I always call [out] Naoya Inoue, but now I know he’s scared of me, like Donaire,” Casimero said. “But, you know, if he signed a contract, let’s do it. I fight him. But, you know, Naoya Inoue and Donaire [are] all scared. I don’t know what happened.”
Inoue (21-0, 18 KOs), who owns the IBF and WBA “super” bantamweight titles, and Casimero (31-4, 21 KOs), a champion in three weight classes, were scheduled to fight in April 2020. ESPN was set to televise Inoue-Casimero as a main event from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, but that card was canceled at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inoue instead fought Australia’s Jason Moloney (22-2, 18 KOs), whom Inoue knocked out in the seventh round October 31 at MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. Most recently, Inoue annihilated another Filipino fighter, overmatched mandatory challenger Michael Dasmarinas (30-3, 21 KOs), a third-round knockout victim June 19 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
The 28-year-old Inoue is supposed to return to the ring in his native Japan in December. Speculation persists that he’ll fight Donaire again in what also would be a championship unification bout.
Inoue defeated Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) by unanimous decision in an entertaining 12-rounder in November 2019 in Saitama, Japan. Donaire has since regained the WBC bantamweight title.
The 38-year-old Donaire agreed in June to replace Rigondeaux (20-2, 13 KOs, 1 NC) as Casimero’s opponent Saturday night. “The Filipino Flash” withdrew from their fight soon thereafter because he and his wife/manager, Rachel Donaire, weren’t convinced Casimero was properly enrolled in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association’s testing program for performance-enhancing drugs.
Sean Gibbons, the president of Manny Pacquiao’s promotional company, emphasized that the 32-year-old Casimero wouldn’t have any problem traveling to Japan to fight Inoue.
“Let me put it this way – the guy’s been to nine countries, won three world titles in nine different countries,” Gibbons said following a main event Showtime televised from Dignity Health Sports Park. “Japan’s the last one. It’ll be number 10, when he knocks Inoue out. We love Japan. We love the Japanese people, love to fight there. … Give him the address. Give him the address, he’ll come by, no problem. The champ’s a fighter. That’s all I can say. He’ll fight anywhere, anytime, against anybody. He’s the WBO champ.”
Casimero: I Know Inoue Is Scared Of Me, Like Donaire; Would Go To Japan To Fight Him - Boxing News (boxingscene.com)
Cotto-Marquez Exhibition No Longer In Play, Will Not Be Revisited
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BY JAKE DONOVAN
Published Thu Aug 26, 2021, 08:03 PM EDT
Plans are no longer in place for a showdown between Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez.
The previously scheduled exhibition match has moved from extended postponement to outright cancellation, Promociones Miguel Cotto executive director Bryan Perez confirmed with BoxingScene.com. The bout was once due to take place June 12 and then put on hold for later in the year but with no plans to explore a new date.
“It is no longer on our agenda,” Hector Soto, vice president of Promociones Miguel Cotto confirmed with Primera Hota, who first reported the news Thursday afternoon. “It’s not happening anymore; it’s over.”
Of all the pairings between past legends, boxing fans seemed most excited over this particular matchup. Cotto and Marquez are both still in relatively good shape and less than ten years removed from their respective pro careers.
Cotto (41-6, 33KOs) has not fought since a December 2017 title-losing effort to Sadam Ali at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The former four-division titlist—who turns 41 in October—is currently eligible for International Boxing Hall of Fame consideration, though missing out in 2020, his first year on the ballot.
The transition to retirement was painless for Cotto, who had already begun his own promotional company by that point. Such will remain his focus, as any plans for a showdown with Marquez was always intended as a one-time ring return.
Marquez (56-7-1, 40KOs) was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2019. COVID restrictions canceled the induction ceremony scheduled for last June and with a dual class enshrinement intended for this past June also shut down. The legendary 47-year-old from Mexico City ended his career with a decision win over Mike Alvarado in May 2014, seven months after coming up just short versus Tim Bradley in their WBO welterweight title fight.
The October 2013 bout marked the last ever title fight for Marquez, a former four-division champion, who won belts at featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight. It came ten months after the signature win of his career, a sixth-round knockout of Manny Pacquiao in their memorable fourth meeting in December 2012 which was widely recognized as the best fight of the year and decade.
Marquez’s final pro fight in May 2014 came three weeks before Cotto made history for Puerto Rico. A tenth-round stoppage of lineal middleweight king Sergio Martinez in June 2014 saw Cotto become the island’s first-ever male boxer to win titles in four weight divisions. One successful defense of the middleweight crown followed before losing a twelve-round decision to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in November 2015.
Just two more fights followed for Cotto before officially calling it a career and concentrating full-time on running his promotional company. It appears that will remain his primary focus, as one last night in the ring is no longer in play.
“Miguel continues to train,” notes Soto. “But no longer with plans to fight.”
That last combo
Whatever if Donaire or Inoue but someone put away this goofballCasimero: I Know Inoue Is Scared Of Me, Like Donaire; Would Go To Japan To Fight Him
![]()
BY KEITH IDEC
Published Thu Aug 26, 2021, 10:22 AM EDT
John Riel Casimero would welcome an opportunity to challenge Naoya Inoue in Inoue’s home country of Japan.
The WBO bantamweight champion senses, though, that Inoue doesn’t want to face him in what would be an intriguing 118-pound title unification fight. The Philippines’ Casimero discussed a potential showdown with Inoue following his 12-round, split-decision defeat of reluctant challenger Guillermo Rigondeaux on two weeks ago in Carson, California.
“I always call [out] Naoya Inoue, but now I know he’s scared of me, like Donaire,” Casimero said. “But, you know, if he signed a contract, let’s do it. I fight him. But, you know, Naoya Inoue and Donaire [are] all scared. I don’t know what happened.”
Inoue (21-0, 18 KOs), who owns the IBF and WBA “super” bantamweight titles, and Casimero (31-4, 21 KOs), a champion in three weight classes, were scheduled to fight in April 2020. ESPN was set to televise Inoue-Casimero as a main event from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, but that card was canceled at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inoue instead fought Australia’s Jason Moloney (22-2, 18 KOs), whom Inoue knocked out in the seventh round October 31 at MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. Most recently, Inoue annihilated another Filipino fighter, overmatched mandatory challenger Michael Dasmarinas (30-3, 21 KOs), a third-round knockout victim June 19 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
The 28-year-old Inoue is supposed to return to the ring in his native Japan in December. Speculation persists that he’ll fight Donaire again in what also would be a championship unification bout.
Inoue defeated Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) by unanimous decision in an entertaining 12-rounder in November 2019 in Saitama, Japan. Donaire has since regained the WBC bantamweight title.
The 38-year-old Donaire agreed in June to replace Rigondeaux (20-2, 13 KOs, 1 NC) as Casimero’s opponent Saturday night. “The Filipino Flash” withdrew from their fight soon thereafter because he and his wife/manager, Rachel Donaire, weren’t convinced Casimero was properly enrolled in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association’s testing program for performance-enhancing drugs.
Sean Gibbons, the president of Manny Pacquiao’s promotional company, emphasized that the 32-year-old Casimero wouldn’t have any problem traveling to Japan to fight Inoue.
“Let me put it this way – the guy’s been to nine countries, won three world titles in nine different countries,” Gibbons said following a main event Showtime televised from Dignity Health Sports Park. “Japan’s the last one. It’ll be number 10, when he knocks Inoue out. We love Japan. We love the Japanese people, love to fight there. … Give him the address. Give him the address, he’ll come by, no problem. The champ’s a fighter. That’s all I can say. He’ll fight anywhere, anytime, against anybody. He’s the WBO champ.”
Casimero: I Know Inoue Is Scared Of Me, Like Donaire; Would Go To Japan To Fight Him - Boxing News (boxingscene.com)