Just days before they take on separate opponents, Filipino puncher Johnriel Casimero administered another round of trash talk on undisputed world super-bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
“Inoue, you are not the strongest. You’re not even the No. 1,” Casimero said in a recent post on social media.
“You are not the strongest and nit the No. 1 boxer because you handpick your opponents. You don’t become No. 1 by fighting handpicked foes,” said Casimero, who battles Japanese Tom Mizokoshi this Saturday in Tokoname, Japan.
Their fight will be in the featherweight division and will be Casimero’s second straight in the weight class.
On the same day he fights Mizokoshi, Inoue will defend his undisputed status against Mexican David Picasso in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Casimero even taunted Inoue, nicknamed “Monster,” obviously luring him to face him instead.
“Do you know who the stronger fighter is?” Casimero said.
He didn’t say who it is but Casimero flexed to indicate that it is him who is the stronger fighter and the No. 1.
In the meantime, it doesn’t look as if Inoue has Casimero on the radar screen.
Plans are afoot for Inoue to take on fellow Japanese sensation Junto Nakatani in May 2026 in Tokyo.