Casimero finally gets IBF belt today

After several weeks of waiting, Johnriel “Quadro Alas” Casimero will finally get his IBF light flyweight belt with no less than international boxing promoter Sampson Lewkowicz coming over to personally hand it over to him today.

The formal turnover ceremony will be held at the Activity Center of SM City Cebu.

Lewkowicz, a Las Vegas-based Uruguayan matchmaker will also announce Casimero’s title defense set to happen middle of this year. Casimero’s title defense is initially set to happen here in Cebu.

Casimero of Ormoc City, Leyte, knocked out Argentinean Luis Lazarte in the 9th round to annex the vacant IBF crown in Mar del Plata, Argentina. The outcome however, did not sit well with Argentinean boxing fans who stormed the ring and assaulted Casimero and members of his team that included promoter Samson Gello-ani of SGG Promotions and trainer Ping Ping Tepora.

The ugly riot, which went viral on the internet, resulted in the banning of Casimero by the IBF.

Despite the controversy, Casimero was crowned the new IBF light flyweight champion after its reigning champion Ulises Solis of Mexico was unable to defend the title due to injury.

The win also brought instant stardom to Casimero not only in the Philippines but in the international boxing scene as well.

Meanwhile, Solis is still undergoing therapy because of a fractured jaw he suffered in a much publicized street fight against WBC super welterweight champion Saul Alvarez in Mexico late last year.

The IBF has given Solis up to Oct. 31 to defend the title because of medical concerns. Solis was supposed to make a mandatory defense of the crown on or before Jan. 31.