LONDON will be the site of John Riel Casimero’s crack at the World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight crown of Zolani Tete on Nov. 23.
Queensberry Promotions, representing Tete, won the purse bid held on Saturday morning (early Sunday in Manila), according to Sean Gibbons, the president of MP Promotions.
Gibbons’s bid was $258,500 in an effort to bring the fight to the US on either Nov. 30 or Dec. 7.
But George Warren, representing his father Frank, was awarded the fight to Queensberry Promotions after bidding $301,000.
Under WBO rules, the champion – Tete – gets 75 percent of the total purse –while Casimero – pockets 25 percent.
Casimero solidified his claim as mandatory challenger to Tete after beating Mexican Cesar Ramirez last month in a defense of the interim title.
Casimero became the interim titleholder after Tete was sidelined with an injury early this year.
Tete (31-3 with 21 KOs) last fought in October 2018.
The travel documents of Casimero (28-4 with 19 KOs) is now being arranged so he can immediately fly to the US for training camp.
Fighting in the UK is nothing new for the globetrotting Casimero, who has seen action in the US, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Thailand, China, South Africa and England.
In September 2016, Casimero knocked out Charlie Edwards in the 10th round at the O2 Arena in London in a defense of the International Boxing Federation flyweight title.
Tete, whose list of victims include five Filipinos, holds an eight-inch advantage in reach over Casimero with a measurement of 82 inches.
Casimero, 5-4, is also five inches shorter than the rangy and southpaw Tete.
But Gibbons swears Casimero is going to do heavy damage early that Tete won’t be able to endure.
