Casimero braces for U.S. fight

I see the fight probably being held in either Las Vegas or Los Angeles.

JOHNRIEL Casimero could be facing Naoya Inoue in either Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

If ever a title fight between Johnriel Casimero and Naoya Inoue is penciled, the handler of the newly-crowned Filipino boxing champion sees the bout being held in either Las Vegas or Los Angeles.

Manny Pacquiao (MP) International Promotions president Sean Gibbons believes a unification match between the Filipino and the unbeaten Japanese would be best suited to take place in the United States, especially after Top Rank recently signed up the 26-year-old Inoue to a multi-year promotional deal.

Gibbons added Top Rank chairman Bob Arum would definitely want to build a US market for Inoue, who has only fight twice outside of Japan.

“I believe they want to introduce Inoue to the US market that was the idea of signing with Bob Arum with Top Rank. So I see the fight probably being held in either Las Vegas or Los Angeles,” said Gibbons, who was with the 29-year-old Casimero in the last session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum for the year 2019 on Tuesday at the Amelie Hotel-Manila.

The MP Promotions executive is looking at a possible unification fight between two of the best bantamweights in the world today by April of 2020, although that still depends on how quickly Inoue recovers from the facial injuries he suffered in his last fight against Filipino Nonito Donaire Jr., including a fracture in his right eye socket (orbital bone).

The Japanese, who’s being promoted by Hideyuki Ohashi, won the World Boxing Super Series tournament with a 12-round decision over Donaire, but found himself in his toughest fight yet against the veteran Filipino.

Judging by the way Inoue had to battle his way to a hard-earned win over Donaire, Casimero definitely likes his chances against the Japanese.

“I want to face Inoue so we can finally settle the score,” Casimero said, refusing to mince words about his real target.

Inoue currently owns the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association title belts while the World Boxing Council champion is Nordine Oubaali.

Casimero won the World Boxing Organization belt last 30 November in Birmingham, England following a third-round demolition of Zolanie Tete of South Africa.

Gibbons sees Casimero giving Inoue a good run for his money more than Donaire did.

“Nonito Donaire showed a lot of flaws in Inoue. Inoue is a great offensive fighter, but defensively, he has a lot of holes,” he said.