Games and Amusements Board Chairman Baham Mitra, Commissioners Mar Masanguid and Ed Trinidad and GAB employees gave newly crowned World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion John Riel ‘Quadro Alas’ Casimero a rousing hero’s welcome recently at the GAB main office in Makati
after he successfully demolished his South African rival, Zolani Tete, by technical knockout at the Arena Birmingham in Birmingham, England on Sunday. GAB officials, led by Chairman Baham Mitra, laud the accomplishment of John Riel Casimero, who won the WBO bantamweight belt recently.The 30-year-old boxing star from Ormoc, Leyte destroyed Tete with barrage of punches in the middle of the third round and eventually knocked the defending champion out. The challenger Casimero, who stopped the crowd favorite and South African boxing idol Tete in 2:14 seconds of the 3rd round, has captured world championship titles in at least three weight classes, namely International Boxing Federation World Light Flyweight, IBF World Flyweight, and WBO Bantamweight. “Masayang masaya kami sa GAB at madadagdagan na naman ang ating boxing heroes. Mayroon na tayong apat na boksingero na nag-champion sa tatlong magkakaibang weight classes—si Senator Pacquiao, Donnie Nietes, Nonito Donaire at ang ating bagong kampeyon na si John Riel Casimero. Talaga namang maituturing na isang positibong balita ang panalo ni John Riel para sa mga atletang Filipino na lumalahok sa SEA Games ngayon dahil ang pagkapanalo niya [Casimero] ay isang testament na kaya ng isang Pinoy na manalo sa isang professional world title match. Higit sa lahat, isa itong patunay na hindi humihina ang boksing sa Pilipinas,“ said GAB Chairman Baham Mitra.