John Riel Casimero remains as the World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion.
This as the WBO issued its "final, definitive, and enforceable" resolution dated Thursday, Dec. 23 that the Filipino champion will keep his belt after issuing a show cause order more than a week ago.
After investigation, the WBO also granted Probellum, the match promoter, 15 days whether it will proceed to reschedule the cancelled title bout between Casimero and English boxer Paul Butler.
It would be recalled that Casimero was unable to show up at the weigh-in due to a certain medical condition that was later diagnosed as viral gastritis.
Casimero's camp was able to provide certain medical certificates and records that proved the Filipino's condition at that time where he was admitted to the American Hospital Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
"There is no controversy as to the cause of Casimero’s physical impediment to engaging in the WBO Bantamweight Mandatory Championship Bout against Paul Butler per the medical documents furnished to the WBO. In essence, all the supportive evidence concluded that Casimero’s diagnosis was Viral Gastritis," read the WBO's statement in its analysis.
"Furthermore, these findings were rendered by duly licensed physicians and certified by the respective medical institutions. Therefore, we deem it unnecessary to challenge these findings through independent medical reviews," it added.
Casimero, who holds a 31-4 record on top of 21 knockouts, was supposed to defend the WBO title for the third straight time.
He captured the belt when he stunned Zolani Tete in November 2019 and since then won back-to-back against Duke Micah and Guillermo Rigondeaux in September 2020 and August 2021, respectively.