Boxing: Donaire, Casimero enroll in VADA testing

MANILA, Philippines -- Both Nonito Donaire and John Riel Casimero will undergo random drug testing in the lead-up to their bantamweight title unification bout on August 14.

The Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) announced on Sunday that both fighters have enrolled in VADA testing for the bout, after a week of back-and-forth on social media.

@filipinoflash @casimerojr have enrolled in @Vada_Testing for their August 2021 bout. @TGBpromotions @wbcmoro @WBCBoxing

— Vada-Testing.org (@Vada_Testing) June 26, 2021

At stake in the fight is Donaire's WBC bantamweight belt, which he won off France's Nordine Oubaali last month, as well as Casimero's WBO title.

Casimero was originally set to fight Guillermo Rigondeaux on August 14, but the Cuban boxer reportedly agreed to step aside to let the all-Filipino showdown happen. Rigondeaux is expected to fight whoever wins the Donaire-Casimero bout.

• READ: Pinoy vs Pinoy, as Donaire announces August 14 title fight vs Casimero

However, the match appeared to be in danger of getting called off last week, as the Donaire camp insisted on VADA testing.

Rachel Donaire, who trains and manages her husband, made her frustrations known on Twitter after the Casimero camp took too long in fulfilling the requirements for the VADA testing.

Even after VADA's announcement, Rachel Donaire said on Twitter that "nothing has been submitted." She also implied that their camp is willing to walk away from the bout if the VADA testing is not enforced.

Smoke n mirrors rnd 2:
Asked4this since Tues. They sd they didn't have the papers-they r online.
2day 7:33a Sean again does the same thing n says look VADA 247.
8a I check n confirm, nothing hs bn submitted
So nt playing in2 their game again, our team put in the cancellation@9 pic.twitter.com/uJoG6duCWe

— Rachel Donaire (@Knockout_Queen) June 27, 2021

Organizations will NOT confirm anything UNTIL everything is completed, every single doc and not a second sooner . On that note, I'm going to enjoy watching the fight #LomaNakatani

— Rachel Donaire (@Knockout_Queen) June 27, 2021

Casimero has a six-fight winning streak heading into the Donaire bout, including a third round stoppage of Duke Micah in September 2020 where he successfully defended his WBO title.

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