Former WBO bantamweight champ John Riel Casimero and his team believe Naoya Inoue is and has always been reluctant to fight him. The fight should have taken place in 2020, only for COVID to come along and ruin things (as COVID did to many fights back then), and since then, 34 year old Casimero has been stripped of his WBO belt for failing to make weight, and both he and “Monster” Inoue have moved up in weight to super-bantamweight.
Casimero is still hoping Inoue – who will face two belt champ Stephen Fulton in his 122 pound debut, this in July – will fight him. And, after his decision win over a tough and durable Fillipus Nghitumbwa this past Saturday, Casimero’s bother and trainer, Jayson Casimero, said, “I guess it’s good that we finished the whole 12 rounds because it might make Naoya Inoue finally fight us.”
Casimero, 33-4(22) says he aims to become a four-weight world champion, having previously held world titles at light-flyweight, flyweight, and bantamweight.
“I will let my manager and promoter arrange my next fight, I will let them decide if it’s going to be Naoya Inoue or Ra’eese Aleem,” Casimero said after the points win over Nghitumbwa. “I hope to become a world champion again.”
But is Inoue interested in a fight with Casimero now? Has Inoue moved on? The Japanese star says his goal is to unify all four belts at 122 pounds the way he did down at 118, so it doesn’t seem a fight with Casimero is in his plans. Inoue-Casimero is still a good fight, but what is there for Inoue to gain in the fight now? Back when Casimero held a belt, Inoue wanted it, but now, what has Casimero got to offer?
Maybe Casimero can become a champion at 122 pounds, and then, maybe, he could fight Inoue. Until he become a four-weight champ, if he can in fact do it, it seems Casimero will not be appearing on Inoue’s radar. No matter what Casimero’s brother and trainer says. I think we all agree, Inoue fears no man.
