CASIMERO retains title with 11 round TKO

Johnriel Casimero successfully defended his IBF junior flyweight title for the third time Saturday night with an 11th-round technical knockout of Felipe Salguero at the Makati Coliseum in Makati City, Philippines. Johnriel Casimero successfully defended his IBF junior flyweight title for the third time Saturday night with an 11th round technical knockout of Felipe Salguero at the Makati Coliseum in Makati City, Philippines.

Casimero (19-2, 11 knockouts), of Ormoc City, Philippines, dropped Salguero (18-5-1, 13 KOs) in rounds eight, nine and 11, before the referee waved the fight off without a count at the 1:34 mark.

Casimero, 23, won the title in 2012 with a 10th-round TKO over Luis Lazarte in Argentina, only to have the event marred by an ugly post-fight riot. The globe-trotting Casimero has fought in five different countries already, despite having just 21 bouts. It was Casimero's first significant bout on home soil. The event was promoted by Manny Pacquiao, open to the public free of charge, and was televised in the Philippines by the GMA Network.

Casimero is currently rated No. 6 by THE RING at 108 pounds. Also in action, former world title challenger Michael Farenas (36-4-4, 28 KOs) scored a second round TKO over Thailand's Kosol Sor Vorapin (17-17-1, 11 KOs), and flyweight prospect Froilan Saludar (18-0-1, 11 KOs) won a ten-round decision over Tawanrung Eausampan.