Boxing’s newest promotional enterprise is already celebrating its first victory.

Probellum has claimed the rights to the mandatory championship fight between WBO 118-pound titleholder John Riel Casimero and Paul Butler.

Their uncontested $105,000 bid was just above the minimum $100,000 bid requirement established by the WBO. The bout will take place on December 11 in either Dubai or Liverpool.

The 32-year-old Casimero (31-4, 21 knockouts), of the Philippines, is due to receive 75 percent of the split, which amounts to approximately $78,250. The United Kingdom’s Butler (33-2, 15 KOs), 32, who defeated Stuart Hall by split decision in June 2014 to win the vacant IBF bantamweight title to start a brief reign, is set to make roughly $26,250.

A purse bid was ordered when TGB Promotions’ Tom Brown, who represents Casimero, and MTK Global’s Lee Eaton, who works with Butler, were unable to come to an agreement. The WBO ordered the fight on September 22.

Casimero, a former 108 and 112-pound titlist and The Ring’s No. 2-rated bantamweight, has held the WBO title since scoring a third round stoppage of Zolani Tete in November 2019. Butler was knocked out by Tete when he unsuccessfully challenged the South African for the IBF junior bantamweight title in March 2015.

Casimero is coming off a dull 12-round split decision victory over long-reigning former lineal junior featherweight champion and current bantamweight contender Guillermo Rigondeaux this past August in Carson, California.

Butler has won seven fights in a row since losing a unanimous decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez in a bout for the vacant IBF 118-pound title. However four of those fights were six-rounders against inferior opposition. One of those opponents, Jose Aguilar, is riding a particularly embarrassing streak of 68 consecutive contests without a victory yet Butler went the distance with him.

On the other hand, Butler’s 10-round split decision triumph over Willibaldo Garcia on June 25, in Bolton, earned him the mandatory shot at Casimero, who is also on a seven-bout winning streak.

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