FORMER International Boxing Federation light flyweight champion John Reil Casimero avenged his controversial loss to previously unbeaten Thai world flyweight champion Amnat Ruenroeng with a dramatic fourth-round knockout at the Diamond Stadium in Beijing, China on Wednesday night in a highlight of the IBF Annual Convention.
It was a sudden and shocking turnaround by the Filipino fighter, whose veteran trainer Jhun Agrabio predicted his ward would “win by a landslide, just like president-elect Rody Duterte,” whom the Casimero camp had openly supported.
Ruenrong won a controversial decision in their first meeting in Thailand when American referee Larry Doggett allowed the Thai champion to get away with numerous infractions, including two takedowns and failed to call a clear knockdown in Round 3.
Doggett also ruled a knockdown when Ruenrong pushed Casimero to the canvas and was bitterly criticized for his terrible performance, prompting the Filipino’s co-managers Sampson Lewkowicz and Sammy Gello-ani, to ask the IBF to retain his No. 1 ranking and seek a rematch, which the IBF agreed to.
Ruenrong again resorted to his roughhouse tactics and once again sent Casimero to the canvas as the champion tripped over a loose lace on his boots. But when the action resumed in the fourth round and Ruenrong tried to exchange with the Filipino at close range, Casimero exploded with a counter left hook to the jaw and the champion went down in a heap on his hands and knees with his head down on the canvas.
Casimero went after Ruenrong in somewhat reckless fashion and got caught with a couple of punches as the champion tried to turn the fight around behind his jab and footwork.
But the champion put his hands up to protect his jaw, only to give Casimero a chance to land a vicious left hook to the liver as Ruenroeng, in a somewhat delayed reaction, grimaced and sank to the canvas with his back tangled under the bottom of the ropes.
Referee Tony Weeks whose appointment was welcomed by the Casimero camp, confident he wouldn’t allow the champion to resort to dirty tactics as in their first fight, counted out Ruenroeng at 2:10 of the fourth round.
Casimero rejoiced over his vengeful victory in the rematch, where he was behind by a shutout on the scorecards of two of the three judges≠, 30-27, while the third judge had Ruenrong ahead, 29-28.
With the win, Casimero became a two-division world champion and Lewkowicz, according to the internet site Bad Left Hook, immediately called out pound-for-pound No. 1 and unbeaten Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez for a unification.
“Tell him we are ready any time,” said Lewkowicz, who now has three world champions in his stable.
He said a unification bout between Casimero and WBC champion Gonzalez needs to happen.
“They say no one wants to fight Gonzalez. We do! John Reil is right here and ready to unify the championships. My phone is always on, let’s make it happen,” said Lewkowicz.