Canizales Stops Panya Pradabsri in Five to Claim 108-pound Title
Fighting in front of a raucous hometown crowd at El Poliedro Arena in Caracas, Venezuela, Carlos Canizales delivered the most significant victory of his career – a fifth-round knockout over Thailand’s Panya Pradabsri to claim the WBC junior flyweight title. The emphatic win in their rematch now firmly places Canizales in the conversation as the best fighter in the world at 108 pounds.
In their first bout back in December 2024, Canizales (28-3-1, 20 KOs) was left incensed after dropping a controversial majority decision. Just like in that contest, he came out as the aggressor from the opening bell, using a stiff jab and pinpoint combinations to control the early rounds.
But in the fourth, the Venezuelan crowd gasped as Pradabsri (44-3, 27 KOs) rocked their hometown hero with a thunderous right hand to the chin, sending Canizales reeling into the ropes. The former interim champ survived the scare by staying composed and boxing his way out of danger for the remainder of the round.
Regrouped and refocused, Canizales went back on the offensive in the fifth. With just 15 seconds left in the round, he landed a crushing left hook to the solar plexus, folding Pradabsri to the canvas. The grimace on the Thai fighter’s face told the story as he failed to beat the referee’s count.
WHERE HE STANDS IN THE DIVISION
A long-standing contender in the junior flyweight ranks, Canizales finally fulfilled his dream of becoming a world champion. Given his mix of sharp boxing and thudding power, many insiders would favor him against WBO titleholder Rene Santiago and IBF belt-holder Thanongsak Simsri.
WBA champion Kyosuki Takami has flashed talent, but he remains unproven at the elite level. A showdown with Canizales would be a massive leap in class. With his breakthrough performance on home soil, Carlos Canizales may very well be the world’s best at 108.
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