MANILA – Filipino boxing sensation John Riel Casimero remained the World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight king after a split decision win over Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux in a much-anticipated world championship bout that turned into a running match.
Using the style that netted him 20 victories in 22 matches, Rigondeaux backpedaled his way for most of 12 rounds to the frustration of Casimero and fans inside the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, on Saturday night (Sunday in the Philippines).
“It was the only boxing style I know,” the 40-year-old Rigondeaux said. “Nobody wants to fight with me because that’s my game plan – to run and irritate my opponents. I did the same to John Riel, and I believe that I did enough to win this match.”
Rightfully so, judge Tim Cheatham saw Rigondeaux’s antics as a winning one with his 115-113 score, but judges Robert Hoyle and Daniel Sandoval saw it otherwise and awarded a 117-111 and 116-112 count for Casimero, respectively.
“I was excited in this match because Rigondeaux is a good fighter, and he said that he was not going to run,” a visibly frustrated and disappointed Casimero said in his post-match interview.
“My game plan is really to knock him down and send him to retirement within three rounds. I really wanted to knock him down but he keeps on running, running, and running,” added the 32-year-old Filipino fighter.
Casimero got a chance to finish Rigondeaux off in the opening round after connecting a straight punch that sent the Cuban boxer to the canvas, but referee Jerry Cantu ruled it as a slip.
Rigondeaux was aggressive in the second round as he unloaded a couple of good left straights on Casimero before the Cuban turned the championship match to a run-and-hit in the middle rounds.
Casimero upped the aggression in the ninth round with more hooks and straights to the body but still could not land cleanly on Rigondeaux as the latter keeps running away and sometimes hid behind Cantu to avoid the Filipino’s flurry.
Regardless, it was still a successful title retention bid for the Ormoc City, Leyte-native Casimero, as he improved his boxing record to 31-4-0, including 21 stoppage wins, as he calls out fellow Filipino Nonito Donaire Jr. and Japanese Naoya Inoue.
“I am done with Rigondeaux, I want Nonito next and then Inoue,” Casimero said of World Boxing Council bantamweight champion Donaire and World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation bantamweight titleholder Inoue./PN
