In a bizarre development, John Riel Casimero will be replaced by fellow Filipino Jonas Sultan

in fighting British Paul Butler for the Interim World Boxing Organization bantamweight title on April 23 in Liverpool, England.

This, after  the WBO bantamweight champion Casimero was denied permission to fight by the British Boxing Board of Control after he allegedly violated their medical procedures for using a sauna to cut weight.

While the WBO Championship Committee granted sanctioning approval of Interim bantamweight title bout between Inter-Continental titlist Sultan and mandatory challenger Butler,  Casimero has been directed to "Show Cause" within the next 48 hours as to why the WBO World Bantamweight Championship Crown shall not be declared (Vacant) for the second time around.

"What had been happening to him being denied twice is very unusual. And they can't blame us (loyal fans) for suspecting that they're just desperately trying to avoid our hometown hero," said a disappointed Jonas Juntilla,  Casimero's neighbor in Ormoc City.

But Cagayan de Oro's on-call boxing trainer Jay Buot believes that Casimero's flamboyant antics had something to do with his recent troubles.

"He's a loose cannon and he probably deserves it," Buot chimes in.

Casimero and Butler had been originally booked to fight last December in Dubai.

However, Casimero withdrew from the fight prior to the weigh-in, citing viral gastritis.

Already, Sultan's local outfit back home--the Zamboanga Valientes--bashed in welcoming the unexpected development, posting on its Faceball Page "Let's Go for Gold MLV boxer Jonas Sultan! Up Viva Promotions! Up Zamboanga! Long Live The Brave!"

The 31-year-old Sultan (18-5, 11 knockouts)  from Zamboanga del Norte,

who is handled by MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons, is ranked no. 4 by the WBO.

His last bout was by way of upstaging the previously unbeaten Carlos Caraballo in October.

Sultan's resume also includes a decision win over Casimero in 2017, and a defeat in his only world title chance in 2018, via a unanimous decision shortfall at the hands of another Filipino Jerwin Ancajas for the IBF junior bantamweight belt.

Having the opportunity to face Butler could be a pure luck for Sultan.

Boxing journalist Ryan Songalia noted that "he was at the right place at the right time" when misfortune apparently hit Casimero anew.

Sultan had been in the United Kingdom for a week, hoping to fight in the undercard of the aborted Casimero-Butler tussle at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.