JOSEPH Agbeko of Ghana has stepped up to fight Paul Butler on short notice following Johnriel Casimero’s failure to attend the weigh-in for his defense of the WBO bantamweight title.
Agbeko, 44, is expected to be a tough customer for Butler, the mandatory challenger to Casimero’s 118-lbs crown.
The veteran Ghanaian was a former world bantamweight champion whose last attempt at a world crown ended in a unanimous decision loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba in 2013.
The Agbeko-Butler fight however, could just be a regular bantamweight bout as no title will be at stake.
Casimero a no-show
Casimero was unable to make it to the weigh-in due to what his camp referred to as viral gastritis, although talks were ripe about the Filipino being way above the 118-lbs limit with just a day before fight night.
Both Agbeko and Butler made the bantamweight limit.
Agbeko has a record of 38-5 with 28 KOs, while Butler is 33-2 with 15 KOs
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