John Riel Casimero's Promoter Hopeful For More Philippines-Based Events Moving Forward

Filipino boxing star John Riel Casimero is set to make his in-ring return in the Philippines on May 13, and his new promoter has high hopes for what it may bring to the future of his client.

Speaking with reporters this past weekend alongside the Filipino, Treasure Boxing Promotion chief and former boxer Masayuki Ito noted that all of their future plans regarding holding events in the Philippines are based on how much love Filipino fans will show to Casimero once he fights this May.

"We're planning on it. I'm expecting that we'll hold more events here in the near future if the turnout is very good," Ito said through an interpreter.

Casimero's in-ring talent has always been something that his hometown fans have admired as he is the type of fighter who always guns for the knockout.

That style propelled him to the heights of the sport, winning the IBF light flyweight and flyweight championships plus the WBO bantamweight title alongside a bevy of interim and regional titles.

His brash and brazen outspokenness outside of the ring has gotten him in trouble a couple of times already throughout his career, which includes a canceled bout between him and WBC bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire in August 2021.

That bout fell apart after Casimero decided to take aim at his wife, Rachel, after criticizing "Quadro Alas" regarding the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) drug testing–instead facing original opponent Guillermo Rigondeaux to retain his bantamweight belt.

Add in his numerous callouts of Japanese star Naoya Inoue and showing him the middle finger for his troubles, Casimero's personality has often times overshadowed his in-ring exploits.

But for Ito, all that matters now is that Casimero puts on a good show for his fans when he fights Fillipus Nghitumbwa on May 13.

As for the long-awaited Inoue fight, the Japanese promoter believes it will be much easier now.

"It definitely depends on Casimero winning since it'll bump up his rank. I'm positive that the fight happens, though Inoue has a small cut on his hand so that might hinder the fight from taking place," Ito stated.

Ito's revelation of a hand injury to Inoue is a surprising one as at the time, "The Monster" was revealed to have suffered an injury during training and his May 7 bout against Stephen Fulton in Yokohama, Japan was postponed as per ESPN.

While it was said then that the "nature of the injury is unclear," Ito may have just shared what caused the aforementioned Inoue bout to be rescheduled.

But as is the case in combat sports, fights fall through due to a competitor backing out at the last minute, but Ito declared that this fight is pushing through one way or another.

"Just in case it does happen, the event is still definitely happening, but we'll be ready with a replacement fighter. Whether Nghitumbwa backs out or not, it's still happening and Casimero will fight in the Philippines," he said.