FORMER International Boxing Federation light flyweight champion John Reil Casimero, the 26-year-old fighter from Ormoc City, exacted just revenge on Thai flyweight world champion Amnat Ruenroeng in Beijing, China on Wednesday to capture the world title from the Thai.
Ruenrong tried to use the same roughhouse tactics the first time they clashed some 11 months when the absolutely incompetent referee Larry Doggett tolerated all the infractions of the Thai in a foul-infested bout that included two takedowns, a 40-second armlock and several other ugly tactics.
Doggett, who received a barrage of criticism from the media and fight fans, failed to call a clean knockdown in the third round, when Casimero dropped him, but quickly signaled a knockdown when Ruenroeng pushed Casimero to the canvas.
In the end, the American referee deducted a point from Ruenrong, when the fight was almost over and it made no difference to the final outcome.
In the rematch which to the credit of the IBF, headed by its president Daryl Peoples, approved after the promoters of Casimero, internationally respected Samposon Lewkowicz and well-known Filipino promoter Sammy Gello-ani requested that Casimero’s No. 1 status be retained, the Filipino exacted his revenge in style, dropping the Thai twice in the fourth round before renowned international referee Tony Weeks, who quickly stepped in to thwart Amnat’s dirty tactics earlier in the fight, counted him out.
We watched Casimero train resolutely for the fight at the gym of Dr. Rajan Yraola, along Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City, and were impressed by his commitment to discipline and hard work.
In fact, we were so mindful of Casimero’s burning desire to avenge his loss and to bring the title back to the Philippines and to wave our country’ s flag in victory, that we produced a one-hour special, which we aired on the top-rating weekly Viva boxing show “The Main Event” at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday nights, over Sky Cable with a replay at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
The program provided an insight into the training of Casimero, under the watchful eyes of veteran mentor Jhun Agrabio and the inspiration of Dr. Yraola.
We spoke to all three and as we filmed Csimero’s final afternoon in the gym, when he tried to shake off some excess poundage, we read the game-plan to near perfection, pointing out that the biggest punch of John Reil was the left hook and that was the punch that did the damage on fight night.
We couldn’t quite figure out how two of the three judges gave the first three rounds to Amnat by a shutout of 30-27, while the third judge also had the champion ahead, 29-28.
It didn’t seem to fit what we had seen on television and smacked of another questionable attempt to probably deprive the Filipino of his just due.
But Casimero was wise to whatever maneuverings there were and when he got the opportunity ripped a left hook to the jaw of Ruenroeng that sent him crashing to the canvas. And when the Thai beat the mandatory eight-count, Casimero went after him with reckless abandon wanting to finish him off.
But the wily Thai held on and grappled the challenger to the floor before Ruenrong made the mistake of raising his gloves to protect his jaw, allowing Casimero to crack the champion with a vicious left hook to the liver that sent him crumpling to the canvas in agony to be counted out by referee Weeks.
It was a deadly finish to a bout that effectively made the IBF look bad because the organization had named the Thai champion the recipient of the Jersey Joe Walcott award for the “Fighter of the Year.”
It was absolute vindication for Casimero and his team, headed by promoters Lewkowicz and Gello-ani and trainer Agrabio.
We were pleased that our spending time with Casimero in training and providing him with the little encouragement, which we always treasure, paid off handsomely.
With Casimero’s smashing victory, our country now has three world champions–WBO light flyweight champion and the longest-reigning Filipino world champion Donnie Nietes and five-division world champion, WBO super bantamweight king Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire.
Casimero’s triumph was a testament to discipline, hard work and courage and the indomitable spirit of the Filipino.