Nonito Donaire announced that he will replace Guillermo Rigondeaux as John Riel Casimero’s August 14 opponent via his Twitter account on Saturday.

My team does magic. Thank you to Richard Shaefer, Rachel Donaire, PBC, TGB and Showtime. Started camp last week. Belt #2 coming soon. pic.twitter.com/utOHearTSz

— Nonito Donaire (@filipinoflash) June 19, 2021

Rigondeaux, who outpointed Donaire back in 2013, did not test positive for COVID-19, nor is he injured, the 40-year-old Cuban veteran is merely stepping aside to allow for a bantamweight title unification between two natives of the Philippines, one a future hall of famer, the other a battle-tested road warrior who has won major belts in three weight classes.

Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) won the WBC bantamweight title with a sensational fourth-round KO of previously unbeaten Nordine Oubaali on May 29. The Ring’s No. 1-rated bantamweight has won world titles in four weight classes, from flyweight to featherweight, during his 20-year pro career and he is the oldest 118-pound titleholder in history at 38.

Casimero (30-4, 21 KOs) is the current WBO bantamweight titleholder and rated No. 2 at 118 pounds by The Ring. The Ring Magazine bantamweight champion is WBA/IBF unified titleholder Naoya Inoue, who outpointed Donaire in the World Boxing Super Series final and 2019 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year.

The Casimero-Rigondeaux matchup was quality but Donaire-Casimero, which will be televised live on Showtime from a site that has yet to be announced (the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California is the likely venue), is a better bantamweight showdown as both Filipinos are aggressive boxer-punchers.

Rigondeaux will be in position to face the winner.

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