Games and Amusements Board Chairman Baham Mitra, Commissioners Mar Masanguid and Ed Trinidad and GAB employees gave newly crowned World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion John Riel ‘Quadro Alas’ Casimero a rousing hero’s welcome recently at the GAB main office in Makati after he successfully demolished his South African rival, Zolani Tete, by technical knockout at the Arena Birmingham in Birmingham, England on Sunday.
The 30-year-old boxing star from Ormoc, Leyte destroyed Tete with barrage of punches in the middle of the third round and eventually knocked the defending champion out.
The challenger Casimero, who stopped the crowd favorite and South African boxing idol Tete in 2:14 seconds of the 3rd round, has captured world championship titles in at least three weight classes, namely International Boxing Federation World Light Flyweight, IBF World Flyweight, and WBO Bantamweight.
“Masayang masaya kami sa GAB at madadagdagan na naman ang ating boxing heroes. Mayroon na tayong apat na boksingero na nag-champion sa tatlong magkakaibang weight classes—si Senator Pacquiao, Donnie Nietes, Nonito Donaire at ang ating bagong kampeyon na si John Riel Casimero. Talaga namang maituturing na isang positibong balita ang panalo ni John Riel para sa mga atletang Filipino na lumalahok sa SEA Games ngayon dahil ang pagkapanalo niya [Casimero] ay isang testament na kaya ng isang Pinoy na manalo sa isang professional world title match. Higit sa lahat, isa itong patunay na hindi humihina ang boksing sa Pilipinas,“ said GAB Chairman Baham Mitra.
Meanwhile, Casimero praised GAB for its nonstop support and he asked Chairman Mitra to continue to work for the welfare of Filipino boxers.
“Everybody thought that Tete was indestructible. Sabi pa nila maliit at maiksi si John Riel pero hindi nila alam na isang Filipino boxer pala ang tatapos at tatalo kay Tete. Kaya maraming salamat sa ating kampeyon sa pag-uwi ng regalo para sa ating bansa bago matapos ang taon,” added Chairman Mitra.
Chairman Mitra also announced the possible unification title bout between John Riel‘ Quadro Alas’ Casimero and Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue of Japan as WBO President Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel said in an interview with the Japanese press that there is a good possibility of WBO-related superfights in the future.
