Filipino International Boxing Federation (IBF) world flyweight champion Jhonriel Casimero.
IBF flyweight world champion Jhonriel “Quadro Alas” Casimero is not interested in carrying the country’s tri-colors in the Rio Olympics this August.
This was revealed to CDN by the boxing champion’s Chief Trainer Jhun Agrabio, who is also against the idea of letting his ward see action in the Olympics despite the recent decision of the AIBA to allow professionals to compete in the Summer Games.
Agrabio said that letting Casimero compete in the Olympics might jeopardize his ward’s flourishing career.
Yesterday, the IBF also announced that it will punish pro boxers under its fold who will compete in the Rio Olympics.
Casimero is the lone Filipino world boxing champion under the IBF.
“If I will have my way, I won’t let him compete,” said Agrabio. “It’s because he is already a world champion and competing in the Olympics doesn’t make sense anymore. Besides, we are not familiar with Olympic rules. And most of all, Jhonriel is not interested in competing in the Olympics.”
Instead, Agrabio wants his ward to focus in the ongoing negotiation between Casimero’s promoters Samson Gello-ani and Sampson Lewkowicz about a unification bout with Nicaraguan WBC and WBA world flyweight champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzales (45-0, 38KOs).
“We are waiting for Gonzales’s camp to respond to our promoters’ offer about the unification fight. I know that it’s a difficult task for him (Casimero) so I want him to focus on this one rather than thinking about the Olympics,” added Agrabio.
Casimero improved his pro record to 22 wins with 14 knockouts and three losses after dethroning archrival Amnat Ruenroeng of Thailand in their rematch last May in China where he stopped the foul-fighting Thai via fourth round knockout.
Aside from the IBF, other boxing governing bodies like the WBC, WBA and WBO are also prohibiting their boxers from fighting in the Olympics especially their world champions.
The IBF announced its decision Monday in an aggressive campaign by sanctioning bodies to keep prominent pros out of the Olympics.
Citing safety concerns that amount to violations of its principles of sportsmanlike competition, the IBF said it will remove any professional Olympic fighters from its rankings for a year. The IBF would also take its title belt away from a champion fighting in the Olympics.
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) recently decided to allow professional boxers to attempt to qualify for Rio, but the organization’s hopes for a tournament featuring big names have been unrealized to date. No prominent boxers have accepted the invitation, with just one Olympic qualifying event remaining in Venezuela next month. /with a report from AP