JOHN RIEL CASIMERO is now a three-weight world champion having stopped pre-fight favourite and WBO bantamweight champion Zolani Tete inside three rounds tonight (November 30) in Birmingham, England.
The Filipino slugger, last seen in the UK halting Charlie Edwards inside 10 rounds (in 2016), carried the WBO interim title into the ring but can upgrade that to the full title following a stunning victory over a man in Tete who was being touted as a future opponent for Naoya Inoue, winner of the recent World Boxing Super Series bantamweight tournament.
Despite an inauspicious start, which saw Casimero throw and miss plenty, he found his range in the third round, cracking Tete in close with a right hook, then following it with a second hook. The first shot discombobulated Tete, 28-4 (21), and the second forced him to the canvas.
From there the South African struggled to recover. He got to his feet but had neither his wits about him or his legs beneath him. A second knockdown was inevitable and referee Steve Gray finally signalled enough was enough as Casimero, 29-4 (20), swarmed in to finish.
