John Riel Casimero scored a fourth-round stoppage of Luis Nery, dropping him six times along the way in Tokoname, Japan.
Casimero, a known puncher, started the destruction within 30 seconds of the opening bell when a left hook felled the Mexican southpaw. Nery, who failed to make the agreed featherweight limit at the weigh-in, never really recovered as he was sent to the mat on two further occasions - again from left hooks - in the opening round.
Nery, 37-3 (28 KOs), looked a long way from the fighter who gave Naoya Inoue so much trouble in 2024. He was down again in the second session, with Casimero's right mitt this time the instigator as Nery - dazed, desperate and careless - waded forward.
Casimero reminded Nery what he could do with his left hand late in the third round, another hook high on the head causing Nery to fall for the fifth time.
The inevitable conclusion occurred 42 seconds into the fourth. Casimero, 37 years old and 36-5-1 (25 KOs), scored with right, whipped in a trailing left, Nery fell for the sixth time, and the referee, Nobuto Ikehara, had seen enough.
Afterwards, Casimero called for a shot at Inoue, the world junior featherweight champion.
