It looks like the much-awaited all-Filipino showdown between WBO bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero and WBC titleholder Nonito Donaire would have to wait a little longer.
This as the WBO ordered Casimero a mandatory title fight against English boxer Paul Butler on Wednesday, Sept. 22.
Both camps are already in talks for negotiations as announced by WBO Championship Committee chairman Luis Batista-Salas.
"Please be advised that the parties have twenty (20) days upon receipt of this letter to reach an agreement," said Batista-Salas in a letter obtained by BoxingScene. "If an accord is not reached within the time frame set forth herein, a Purse Bid will be ordered pursuant to WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests."
The same goes for Donaire as the WBC, for his part, ordered him to face interim world titleholder and compatriot Reymart Gaballo earlier this week.
While Casimero and Donaire already made amends with each other, it wasn't the situation they were expecting to come in the next coming weeks.
Both Casimero and Donaire already expressed desire to face each other while another hurdle in the bantamweight division is also a given through the presence of undefeated Japanese icon Naoya Inoue, who owns the super WBA, the IBF, and The Ring bantamweight titles.
The 31-year-old Casimero (31-4, 21 knockouts), who hails from Ormoc, Leyte, is fresh from a split decision victory against Cuban foe Guillermo Rigondeaux last month while Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) captured the WBC title with a fourth-round knockout win against Frenchman Nordine Oubaali in May.
Inoue, for his part, remained unscathed after an impressive third-round knockout victory over Filipino boxer Michael Dasmariñas for his 21st straight win on top of 18 KOs since October 2012.
Meanwhile, Casimero's future opponent Butler, a former IBF bantamweight champion, rides on a seven-match win streak since November 2018 with the latest coming from a split decision win against Willibaldo Garcia of Mexico in June for the vacant WBO International bantamweight title, propelling him to become the top contender against the Ormoc-native pugilist.
The final date for the Casimero-Butler bout has yet to be announced.