JUST 18 months ago, Luis Nery was banned from fighting in Japan. In boxing, things move fast. Now the Mexican southpaw has signed with Koki Kameda’s promotional outfit, ahead of what could be a second outing on Japanese soil in as many years.
Nery, 36-2 (28 KOs), knocked out fan-favourite Shinsuke Yamanaka to claim the WBC bantamweight world title from the away corner back in 2017. He was found to have tested positive for zilpaterol, a banned substance, during the aftermath.
The WBC determined that the ingestion of this drug was due to contaminated food and subsequently ordered a rematch between the two, rather than overturning the original result. The pair ran it back seven months later – once again in Japan.
However, Nery failed to make weight for the bout, weighing three pounds over the limit and losing his title on the scales. They proceeded with the fight, and Nery utilised his size advantage to stop Yamanaka in just two rounds, controversially.
For his unprofessionalism, Nery was slapped with a lifetime ban from the Japanese Boxing Commission. Yet, this decision was overturned last February, to allow Naoya Inoue a shot at Japanese redemption against Nery, who had become a two-division world champion during the interim.
Nery then became the first man to drop Inoue before being halted himself in the sixth, but his efforts won over the Japanese fight fans, who had villainised the 30-year-old beforehand.
‘Pantera’ then returned to fight in Mexico and scored a seventh-round stoppage victory against Japan’s Kyonosuke Kameda in Tijuana. Still, now it seems as though Nery is set for a trip to East Asia once again.
Today, 3150 Promotions, owned by former two-division world champion Koki Kameda, announced the signing of Nery, just days after confirming the signature of three-weight conqueror, John Riel Casimero, 34-4-1 (23 KOs).
“3150×LUSHBOMU has signed a co-promotion contract with Luis Neri (Mexico), a two-division world champion (WBC World Bantamweight and WBC World Super Bantamweight).
“Following the ‘Philippine Bad Boy’ Casimero, a contract has also been signed with the ‘Mexican Bad Boy’ Neri.
“Stay tuned for future developments.”
As a result, there is growing speculation that Nery and Casimero will soon collide, as the Filipino seeks a challenge for a world title in a fourth weight division, while Nery eyes up a return to the 122lb throne.
