REIGNING World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight king Johnriel Casimero returns to the ring on December 11 in the US to face either World Boxing Council bantamweight titlist Nonito Donaire Jr. or unified champion Naoya Inoue of Japan.
MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons confirmed to BusinessMirror on Thursday that the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) will soon announce the details of a potetial Casimero-Donaire fight because both fighters are under the same promotion owned by Al Haymon.
“I can’t talk about it for now, but it’s up to the PBC to announce it. So far what you read is true,” Gibbons said, referring to a report that both Filipino world champions will clash. “I am just waiting now, but I told Casimero to return to the US by September to resume his training.”
Casimero (31-4 win-loss record with 21 knockouts) is coming off a split decision victory last August 14 against Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux in Carson, California.
But the 32-year-old Casimero, who is currently in quarantine in Cebu City, told BusinessMirror that he prefers undefeated World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation Inoue (21-0 record with 18 knockouts) over Donaire (41-6 record with 27 knockouts).
“I am not interested in fighting [Nonito] Donaire. I am more interested against Inoue,” Casimero said.
Inoue fights under Bob Arum’s Top Rank promotions.