By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) confirmed that they just requested Filipino boxer John Riel Casimero to present the needed medical documents and himself after missing the weigh-in in his scheduled main event title defense bout against Paul Butler to be held in Dubai.
Casimero was a no-show in the weigh-in and was reportedly admitted to the American Hospital Dubai due to viral gastritis.
Luis Batista Salas of the WBO then released a show-cause notice to Casimero and his camp, stating that if they will be unable to present the necessary documents in 10 days, the Filipino champion will be stripped of his bantamweight championship belt.
“You are hereby ordered to show cause within the next 10 days upon issuance of this letter to submit a medical certification by institution which you were admitted for medical treatment as well as your medical record to such admittance at the American Hospital Dubai in Dubai, UAE,” wrote Salas.
It would’ve been Casimero’s fourth WBO bantamweight title defense if ever the fight pushed through in Dubai.
Boxing promotions company Probellum quickly revamped the fight card and replaced Casimero with WBO contender Joseph Agbeko for the interim bantamweight belt but the Butler camp refused the offer.
