INTERNATIONAL Boxing Federation flyweight champion Johnreil Casimero was three pounds over the flyweight limit with two days to go before the official weigh-in for his title defense against unbeaten Charlie Edwards of Britain at the O2 Arena in London at 1:00 a.m. Manila Time on Sunday.
Casimero’s veteran trainer Jhun Agrabio said his fighter shouldn’t have a problem shedding off the excess poundage before the weigh-in on Friday.
Meantime, the cocky Edwards who will be facing Casimero for the world title in only his ninth fight claims his victory “is written in the stars” which brought out a retort from Team Casimero that he will be seeing stars when the hard-hitting Filipino two-division champion catches him with the same kind of combination that knocked out Thai champion Amnat Ruenroeng.
Boxing man Sean Gibbons said Casimero is “one the best kept secrets of Philippine boxers.”
Gibbons added, “he’s got punch, he’s got charisma. He’s going to be on the big stage and I think he’s really going to show what he’s made of.”
He said he’s happy that fight fans will get a chance to see him because he’s had to go to Argentina, Columbia, Mexico, Thailand and China but fighting in the O2 Arena with a historic country like England in boxing, it’s going to be his night.”
He said, “Casimero is the only person I know who thrives on being on the road and when he gets booed it just fires him up and he gets the job done.
Gibbons said Edwards is “a fundamentally sound guy. Maybe they took the fight because they saw something we didn’t. I think he’s a solid fighter but not on Casimero’s level. I see him (Casimero) somewhere in the middle rounds breaking Edwards down and stopping him.”
Sean said Edwards had “a deep amateur background but once Casimero figures him out it will be a whole different ballgame.”