THE dream unification match with undefeated Naoya Inoue remains in the pipeline for Johnriel Casimero.
Despite denied of what could have been the biggest fight of his career, Casimero is still looking forward of meeting the Japanese ‘Monster’ and unify boxing’s 118-pound division.
The Filipino hopes to dispatch Duke Micah of Ghana in his Sept. 26 defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) in Connecticut with hopes of setting up another possible showdown with the 27-year-old Japanese.
“Maybe someday if I finish this (fight), I’ll vie a unification,” said Casimero during a virtual press conference Tuesday (Manila time) in Los Angeles to promote his first pay-per-view fight over Showtime.
“If I finish this guy, I’ll be ready for another opponent. Maybe Inoue,” added the 30-year-old pride of Ormoc.
That doesn’t mean Casimero (29-4, 20 Kos) is looking past Micah, also with a perfect record of 24-0, with 19 KOs.
“I know my opponent is a good fighter and unbeaten. So I’m going to give my best to win the fight,” said the champion, accompanied by manager Sean Gibbons, president of MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions.
Micah, 28, said he’s hungry for this moment.
“I’m coming to win. This is my dream,” said the challenger, who represented Ghana in the 2012 London Olympics.
“I want to be a world champion.”
After seeing the Inoue unification match being sidelined, Gibbons expects a good showdown between Casimero and Micah.
“It’s going to be a fun, explosive fight,” he said.
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