Can Casimero make 122?

Johnriel Casimero should have no problems knocking out Luis Nery in their much-anticipated slugfest on 18 April in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, according to top Filipino boxing trainers.

While they all agree that Casimero is heavily favored to score a resounding win, there’s one thing that concerns them the most.

Can he make the super-bantamweight division limit of 122 pounds?

Casimero, 37, has a long history of not making weight, getting stripped of the title or having his fight canceled due to his chronic struggles with weight management dating back to 2014.

Still, Casimero is so talented that Cebu-based coaches Edito Villamor, Brix Flores and Michael Domingo are all on the same page.

Holding a 35-5-1 win-loss-draw mark with 24 knockouts, Casimero is still nursing hopes of securing a title shot at Japanese pound-for-pound king Naoya “Monster” Inoue.

But his perennial weight woes and camp issues have made it difficult for promoters to give him a chance.

“He can knock Nery out but the problem is if he can make weight but I think this is a big chance that he knows he can’t waste because a win could lead him to a world title opportunity,” said Villamor, who now handles the training of PMI Boxing of Bohol.

“This is the right time for him to be serious in training by making weight and discipline with his food intake (to prevent him from getting overweight),” he added.

Domingo, formerly teammates with Villamor during their days at ALA Boxing, believes Nery doesn’t stand a chance provided Casimero doesn’t have encounter weight problems.

“Nery can’t win but he has to handle and manage his weight because that’s his first challenge,” said Domingo, who trains reigning World Boxing Council strawweight champion Melvin Jerusalem.

“As long as the brothers (Johnriel and Jayson) stay focused in training and monitor the weight, they will make 122 pounds,” he added.

Flores, a 1986 Asian Games bronze medalist and also a former ALA boxer back in the day, share the same sentiment.

“Casimero has a big chance of winning by knockout. Nery’s got a weak chin but they have to manage their weight and hope that they have learned from their mistakes. But bottomline is I am for Casimero by knockout,” said Flores, who steered Malcolm Tuñacao and Marlon Tapales to world titles.

The southpaw Nery, nicknamed “Pantera,” has a 37-2-0 record with 28 knockouts.

His two losses — both by stoppage — were dealt by Brandon Figueroa and Inoue.