By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In a sensational encounter of former world champs, Filipino three-division champ John Riel Casimero (33-4-1, 22 KOs), 122, and Japanese ex-IBF junior feather ruler Yukinori Oguni (21-2-3, 8 KOs), 122, battled to a technical draw due to Oguni’s nasty cut over the forehead at 0:27 into the fourth round in a scheduled ten on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

From the outset it became a see-saw affair with Casimero going forward with a powerful shot at a time and Oguni responding to his opening attack with one-two combinations. Oguni, who once wrested the IBF 122-pound belt from Yonatan Guzman in 2016, showed his sharpness with long jabs and left-right combos to hurt the pre-fight favorite. But Casimero’s roundhouse shot caught Oguni to have him almost lose his balance just before the bell to end the second. The third saw Oguni connect well with solid one-two combinations followed by body shots to the bewildered Casimero. An accidental butt happened just after the fourth began and had Oguni badly bleeding from the head, with which the referee Fukuchi had to halt the give-and-take affair with the ringside physician’s advice. Prior to the stoppage: all 29-28, two judges to Casimero and one to Oguni.

We wish to see their undecided business.

Promoter: Treasure Boxing Promotions in association with Yokohama Hikari Promotions.

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