Nonito Donaire-John Riel Casimero Back On For December?

It was a juicy Bantamweight Unification proposed bout and despite it disintegrating earlier this Summer, it may be back on for late in 2021. A report Tuesday night says WBC 118 lb. champ Nonito Donaire and WBO belt holder John Riel Casimero are in talks to fight in December.

Boxing insider Steve Kim tweeted the info that the two Filipino champs are at least discussing the Unification bout,

So talks are taking place at re-viving the fight between bantamweight belt-holders (and fellow Filipino's) Nonito Donaire and John Riel Casimero for a December clash. Cross your fingers(and rub your rabbits' feet) #boxing

— Steve Kim (@SteveKim323) August 24, 2021

Two weeks ago Casimero was victorious in a lackluster 12 round decision over Guillermo Rigondeaux for the second defense of his WBO title. It improved him to 31-4, 20 KOs, and put him back in position for the fight with the legend Donaire.

Donaire 41-6, 27 KOs made history in California in May, when he became the oldest World Bantamweight Champ ever with a 4th round KO of previously unbeaten WBC champ, Nordine Oubaali.Donaire scored two knockdowns in the third round, with the second one coming controversially just after the bell.

Previously, Donaire was in a hotly contested 12 round battle with Japan’s Naoya “The Monster” Inoue for the World Boxing Super Series finale’ in December of 2019. The Monster defeated the veteran Donaire by decision in a wild fight where both fighters were hurt and Inoue overcame a fractured eye orbital to get the unified titles.

Now, Donaire is interested in unifying with the WBO belt.

The problem is that things got UGLY in late June, when the proposed Donaire-Casimero fight fell apart faster than you can spell the acronym VADA.

That’s the voluntary doping organization that does thorough testing for a longer period of time prior to fights. Donaire, suspicious of Casimero. wanted him enrolled in VADA immediately upon them verbally agreeing to fight.

However, that did not happen.

The controversy had been brewing for days with Donaire’s wife Rachel repeatedly posting on Twitter that they had concerns about transparency with Casimero and him refusing to enter the VADA in the program.

Casimero then insulted her on social media and Nonito Donaire decided to “stand up” for his wife’s honor and walk away from the proposed fight.

But, at least for now, there is a target date and the possibility that the two may want to tangle in an even more intriguing battle for the two belts that Inoue doesn’t own.