By CARLO ANOLIN
The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) is set to conduct its own investigation on World Boxing Organization (WBO) John Riel Casimero, who allegedly violated certain medical guidelines ahead of his mandatory title defense against Paul Butler in Liverpool.
“As the country’s pro boxing regulatory agency, we strongly condemn and discourage the commission of any illegal acts or violation of boxing rules,” said GAB chairman Baham Mitra in a statement Wednesday, April 20. “We will surely look into this and summon Mr. Casimero and his team to shed light on the issue.”
Mitra has instructed the agency’s boxing and other contact sports division for the task after learning that Casimero was prohibited to compete against Butler due to the use of sauna, which was apparently disallowed by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC).
This is in relation to using a sauna as means to cut weight given that there are only two days before fight night.
Jonas Sultan will serve as a replacement for Casimero and will fight Butler in an interim contest on April 22 at the Echo Arena.
The emergency bout was approved by no less than WBO Championship Committee chairman Luis Batista-Salas in a letter dated April 19.
Casimero, for his part, was given 48 hours to explain his side as the WBO issued another “Show Cause” order.
This was the second time that the bout was postponed after the Ormoc City native boxer failed to catch weight after suffering from viral gastritis last December.
