By Fightnews.com

Johnriel Casimero proudly displays the IBF flyweight title belt during a press conference held at the Victory Mall in Metro Manila. (Nick Giongco)

By Nick GiongcoJohnriel Casimero, fresh from defending his IBF flyweight title on an emphatic tenth-round knockout of Charlie Edwards of England underneath the Gennady Golovkin headliner at the O2 Arena in London, says he can easily handle pound-for-pound king Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez.

“I can beat him easy,” said Casimero barely 24 hours after arriving in Manila from London with his team.

Casimero, who boosted his record to 23-3 with 15 KOs, saw how Gonzalez defeated Carlos Cuadras of Mexico and the Filipino puncher believes he has the tools and the ammo needed to mess up the undefeated Gonzalez.

Facing the press for the first time since mauling Edwards, Casimero insists Gonzalez seems to be dodging him “because I have been calling him out the longest time.”

Long-time boxing man Sammy Gello-ani, Casimero’s promoter, maintains that a Gonzalez showdown can wait.

“The best thing is for Casimero to make a few defenses of the (IBF) title before a Gonzalez fight can be made,” said Gello-ani, who was joined on the dais by chief trainer Jhun Agrabio and other key members of the team during the press conference arranged by Victory Mall.

It was in that mall that Casimero spent his training camp in preparation for Edwards under the watchful eyes of dietitian Aldrin Santamaria, training assistant Jason Casimero and Roque Sendin, GM for operations of Victory Mall.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez, who raised his mark to 46-0 with 38 KOs, is back in Nicaragua basking in the glory of his latest conquest.