NAGOYA, Japan — Mexican slugger Luis Nery downplayed Johnriel Casimero’s knockout victory, insisting that he was just a shell of his old fiery self and that Naoya “Monster” Inoue hits a lot harder than this Filipino tormentor.
“I wasn’t physically and mentally prepared for this fight,” Nery said on Monday at Central Japan Airport with the help of a team member who doubled as an interpreter.
Casimero sent Nery crashing to the floor six times, thrice in the first round and once each in the second and third rounds before connecting a vicious one-two combo that dropped his southpaw foe down for good.
“”Definitely, Inoue was stronger than Casimero,” said Nery, who absorbed a sixth-round knockout to Inoue more than two years ago in Tokyo.
To prove his point, the 31-year-old Nery reminded everyone that he struggled making the agreed weight of 124 pounds, needing almost two hours to get rid of excess baggage.
Despite the two-hour period, Nery still couldn’t get down to 124 and the promoter — with advice from the Japan Boxing Commission — ordered that he doesn’t weigh more than 134 pounds on the morning of the fight.
Casimero said that he could have opted out of the scheduled 12-rounder but he was more concerned about scoring a sensational win than not fighting at all.
Nery’s failure to manage his weight proved pivotal as Casimero came out smoking at the get-go, stalking Nery like a cheetah would on a gazelle on the Serengeti.
The crowd erupted in cheers when the 37-year-old Casimero floored Nery in the first 30 seconds of the match and Nery was lucky to survive the opening round after being hitting the canvas two more times.
“I had problems going into this fight and it showed during the fight,” added Nery, whose record dropped to 37-3-0 win-loss-draw with 28 knockouts.
The thrilling win boosted Casimero’s card to 36-5-1 with 25 knockouts and his solid performance reignited calls for him and Inoue to finally get it done.
As for Nery, he is on his way back to Mexico with a bruised ego and a body still aching from Casimero’s murderous blows.
