TOP Rank big boss Bob Arum believes mandatory Filipino challenger Michael “Hot and Spicy” Dasmariñas could dethrone Japanese International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue on June 19 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Arum told BusinessMirror over a WhatsApp call the noted promoter used for the first time on Wednesday that the boxer from Pili (Camarines Sur) could become the world’s next biggest star if he gets the job done.
“I am not going to write him [Dasmariñas] off. He has a lot of energy,” Arum said. “It’s an intriguing fight and that’s what we’re going to see. It’s really a tough, tough fight but that’s how you become a big star, you have to take the big fight.”
The 28-year-old southpaw Dasmariñas (30-2-1 win-loss-draw record with 20 knockouts) scored a devastating fifth-round technical knockout victory over Thailand’s Artid Bamrungauea in his last fight in October 26, 2019, in Valenzuela City. He didn’t fight in pandemic 2020.
Inoue, 27 and unbeaten in 20 fights with 17 knockouts, is coming from a seventh-round technical knockout win over Australian Jason Moloney last October 31 at the MGM Grand bubble in Las Vegas.
“It is a very, very good fight. The Filipino is a good, good pro, his hands are full because Inoue is a devastating fighter,” added Arum, noting that reigning World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion Johnriel Casimero would be next for Inoue if he passes the test.
“If Inoue wins, he wants Casimero next,” Arum said.
Arum is hoping that by fight night, they will be allowed to fill half of the venue with fans.
“The people have been deprived for so long. So I am hoping by June we’ll be able to get 50 percent of the capacity,” said Arum, who is eyeing to hold the fight in one of the MGM properties in Las Vegas.”
“It’s not a lot of money, but it will help. It’s better than zero,” added Arum, who also revealed he and his wife Lovee duBoef already got their Moderna vaccines.
Read full article on BusinessMirror
