Former WBC strawwweight champion Panya Pradrabsri (42-1, 27 KO), is set to challenge for another world title as he moves up in weight to face Venezuela’s Carlos Canizales (27-2-1, 19 KO) for the vacant WBC junior flyweight belt.
Pradrabsri, rated at No. 7 by The Ring at 105 pounds and also known by the alias Petchmanee CPF, first captured the WBC strawweight title in 2020 by dethroning long-reigning champion Chayaphon Moonsri (55-3, 19 KO). He successfully defended the title five times before losing it in October 2023 via unanimous decision to Japan’s Yudai Shigeoka (9-1, 5 KO).
Since the loss, the 33-year-old Thai fighter has fought three times in warm-up bouts within the junior flyweight division (108 pounds), setting the stage for his upcoming clash with Canizales. Pradrabsri, eager to reclaim world championship status, will face stiff competition in the 31-year-old Canizales, currently rated at No. 5 by The Ring at 108 pounds and a former WBA junior flyweight beltholder.
Canizales is riding high after a victory over Ivan Garcia Balderas (12-3-1, 4 KO). Prior to this, the Venezuelan challenged for the WBC 108-pound belt against Kenshiro Teraji (23-1, 14 KO), coming up short by majority decision. Canizales also fought to a split draw with Japan’s Ryoichi Taguchi (28-4-2, 12 KO) in a clash held at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.
The Pradrabsri-Canizales matchup is scheduled to take place in Thailand, though the exact date and venue have yet to be confirmed. The fight is expected to happen sometime in November, as both fighters look to cement their place among the elite in the light flyweight division.
