Canizales looking to make his first title defense against Lu.
Lucas Matthysse vs. Manny Pacquiao is the high profile fight of the week for obvious reasons. However, there is a high-level match-up on the undercard being overlooked.
Undefeated WBA light flyweight champion Carlos Canizales will make his first title defense against the highly touted Bin Lu. Why are we so interested in this bout? Simple! Lu is making the audacious move of challenging for a world title in only his second professional bout.
In attempting to win a world title in only the second bout of his career, he is trying to do something that Vasyl Lomanchenko attempted (when he fought and lost to then WBO featherweight champion Orlando Salido in 2014), but ultimately failed to accomplish.
To say this is ballsy and a bold move from Lu and his handlers is an understatement.
The Champion
Canizales (20-0-1, 16KO) is a fighter who is athletic and skilled with good punching power. The problem with Canizales is during his draw against Roichi Taguchi and during his win over Reiya Konishia to win the title in March, the champ faded a bit late in both fights. When forced backwards and made to fight at a fast pace, Canizales is not as effective as he becomes sloppy defensively.
Two of Canizales greatest weaknesses: he’s a poor inside fighter and does not know how to fight off the ropes. When put in those positions, his tendency is to grab and hold.
The Challenger
An amateur star who also had five bouts in the AIBA, the 23 year-old southpaw Lu (1-0, KO) while certainly lacking professional experience, is no doubt a skilled and talented fighter with terrific hand and footspeed as well as excellent head movement. If this fight is based on pure ability and skill, dare I say that Lu has the advantage.
With so many unknowns in this fight particularly as it pertains to Lu, this is a fascinating matchup. Will the experience, power and guile of the 25 year-old champion be too much for the young, upstart challenger? Or is Lu more along the lines of a Naoya Inoue, a young prodigy who is so good and talented that it makes up for his lack of experience?
If Lu pulls this off he will set a record for winning a world title in the fewest number of fights. Oh, what intrigue! I can’t wait.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
