Casimero looks sharp and deadly as May fight with African champ draws near

Former three-division world champion Johnriel Casimero (in white head gear) spars with Omega Boxing Gym’s Pete Apolinar in a video uploaded to the former’s Facebook page. | Screen grab Casimero’s video

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former three-division world champion Johnriel “Quadro Alas” Casimero looked sharp and deadly in his latest sparring session at the Omega Boxing Gym in Mandaue City.

The 34-year-old Casimero, who is also the former WBO world bantamweight champion, has been training in Cebu lately, particularly at the Omega Boxing Gym where he started his career in the early 2000s. 

He is set to fight world-rated and reigning WBO Global super bantamweight titlist Namibian Fillipus Nghitumbwa on May 13 at the Okada Hotel in Manila. 

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Casimero displayed excellent counter punches and used the ring wisely to outbox Apolinar in their sparring session, with his brother and trainer Jason, on ringside.

Casimero, in a video uploaded on his official Facebook page, Quadro Alas It’s My Boy was seen sparring with a bigger opponent in Pete Apolinar who is a featherweight. 

It can be recalled that Casimero built his career in boxing with Omega Boxing Gym when he turned pro in 2007. He was promoted and managed by then Samson Gello-Ani who led Omega Boxing Gym at that time. He was trained by Christopher “Ping Ping” Tepora. 

READ: Casimero faces WBO Global titlist and world-rated Namibian in Manila in May says Japanese promoter

It’s where Casimero became a world champion and even made the headlines when he was mobbed by angry Argentinian fans in Mar del Plata, Argentina in 2012. This was after hometown boxer and IBF interim world light flyweight champion Luis Alberto Lazarte lost to him via a 10th-round technical knockout. 

Currently, Casimero is fighting under Treasure Boxing Promotions of former world champion Masayuki Ito of Japan. 

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This will be Casimero’s first fight in 2023, following his victory against Japanese Ryo Akaho last December in Incheon, South Korea. He has a record of 32 wins, 22 knockouts, and 4 defeats.

Meanwhile, Nghitumbwa has a 12-1 (win-loss) record with 11 knockouts. 

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