Rigondeaux reportedly back as Casimero's opponent


WBO bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero will now be facing his original opponent in Cuban veteran boxer Guillermo Rigondeaux on Aug. 14.

Guillermo Rigondeaux and Johnriel Casimero (Premier Boxing Champions)

Premier Boxing Champions dropped the recent development on Thursday, July 1, with the final venue to be discussed.

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This after WBC titleholder Nonito Donaire backed out of the fight due to issues regarding the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) and the "disrespectful" behavior that Casimero's camp has been showing.

Both camps have been going back and forth on social media for weeks now.

READ: No disrespect meant to Donaire, says Casimero representative

Rigondeaux, the regular WBA champion, was the first choice against Casimero as set by the PBC last April on the same date, Aug. 14.

READ: Casimero wants to retire Rigondeaux, says MP Promotions chief

It has been more than a week, during Naoya Inoue's victory against Filipino challenger Michael Dasmariñas, when Donaire announced that he will be fighting Casimero in a bantamweight title unification bout at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Per reports, Rigondeaux stepped aside to pave the way for the all-Filipino showdown.

READ: Inoue's motivation? To face Casimero and Donaire soon

Casimero, 32, boasts of a six-match win streak with the latest coming from a technical knockout win over Ghanaian boxer Duke Micah last September to improve at 30-4 record on top of 21 knockouts.

The 40-year-old Rigondeaux (20-1, 13 KOs), for his part, last saw action in February last year, scoring a split decision victory over Venezuelan foe Liborio Solis. (Carlo Anolin) ###

READ: Inoue calls out Casimero camp; Gibbons tells Japanese champ to shut up