John Riel Casimero Wins Split Decision Over Guillermo Rigondeaux

By Fight Sports Aug 16, 2021

Despite some dubbing Saturday’s WBO bantamweight title fight as boring, John Riel Casimero still walked out of the ring as a winner.

Casimero (31-4, 21 KOs) defended his bantamweight title with a split decision victory over former junior featherweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (20-2, 13 KOs). Casimero, a Filipino boxer, said he was trying to knock out his opponent, but he kept getting away.

“I want knockouts,” Casimero said after the fight. “I did my best to knock him out, but Rigondeaux was always running. There was no fighting.”

The boxer had a six-fight knockout streak. He became the second fighter to beat Rigondeaux as a pro.

Despite Saturday’s outcome, Rigondeaux said he felt that he won the fight. The Cuban boxer landed only 44 total punches.

Casimero followed Rigondeaux as he went around the ring. The Filipino boxer would reach with a punch while Rigondeaux would slip, counter and go around again.

Statistics showed Casimero landed 47 of 297 total blows while Rigondeaux landed 44 of 221.

Judge Tim Cheatham scored the bout 115-113 for Rigondeaux, but was overruled by judges Daniel Sandoval and Robert Hoyle who favored Casimero 116-112 and 117-111.