WORLD Boxing Organization bantamweight king Johnriel Casimero is officially back to fighting his original opponent, two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux on August 14, 2021 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, USA announced Premier Boxing Champions.
Rigondeaux was Casimero’s original opponent before he stepped down to give way to an all-Filipino world title unification between Casimero and World Boxing Council bantamweight title holder Nonito Donaire Jr.
Things got heated quickly between Casimero and Donaire as both camps exchanged words on social media. Donaire Jr., however, pulled out of the fight after Casimero’s camp failed to comply with his demands of a Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency testing and because Casimero’s strength and conditioning coach Memo Heredia insulted Donaire’s wife, Rachel, with a lewd act on social media.
Casimero will now be defending his belt against the 40-year-old crafty veteran in a bantamweight triple-header that features an World Boxing Association interim bantamweight clash between unbeaten Gary Antonio Russell (18-0, 12 KOs) and former world champion Emmanuel Rodriguez (19-2, 12 KOs), and a 10-rounder between one-time world champion Rau’shee Warren (18-3, 4 KOs) and former world title challenger Damien Vazquez (16-2-1, 8 KOs).
The 32-year-old Casimero is coming off a huge third round technical knockout over Duke Micah on Sept. 26, 2020.
Rigondeaux, on the other hand, escaped a close split decision over Liborio Solis on February 8, 2020.
Casimero is 30-4 with 21 knockouts, while Rigondeaux is 20-1 with 13 knockouts.
Meanwhile, former Casimero foe Jonas Sultan is reportedly seeing action in the undercard of the same card against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
Sultan recently flew into the US to work as one of Casimero’s sparring partners for Doniare Jr., but with the change of opponent Sultan will most likely not be Casimero’s rotation of sparmates.
Sultan is currently training at the Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood along with former ALA Gym teammate Mark Magsayo and Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao.