Panya Pradabsri vs Carlos Canizales II fight preview, betting odds, predictions

The Rematch - Panya Pradabsri vs "CCC" WBC special fight preview

Cool as a cucumber, WBC light-flyweight champion Panya Pradabsri fights a highly anticipated rematch against peppery "CCC" Carlos Canizales Civira this Friday, August 1, at the Poliedro, Caracas, Venezuela, live on ESPN Knockout.

Their first encounter, which was for the vacant WBC light-fly Green and Gold Belt, was on December 26th last year in the Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok, which was on Thai fighter Panya's home turf. This occurred after Kenshiro Teraji had moved up to flyweight.

It was a humdinger of a fight, with fortunes veering first one way and then swaying the other. Panya emerged with a MD victory, but Carlos was aggrieved. He felt he had been more aggressive and extra pro-active throughout. Pradabsri's people were equally convinced, that he'd been more calculating and significantly more effective, thus successful.

To be fair and to satisfy both sides, the WBC ruled that there must be an immediate rematch. President Mauricio Sulaiman said: "Canizales lost by a MD. It was a sensational fight. Their first fight was in Thailand and now the second is in Venezuela. This is a great story."

It must be pointed out, that it was the judges' decision which went the way of Panya Pradabsri. He fought his best fight, as did Carlos. The judges, who had no axe to grind, saw it this way.

In case of a very close fight, the best way to resolve it is for an immediate rematch. That decision is taken by a meeting of the WBC Board of Governors.

How do things stand now? Pradabsri's record is 44-2, 27 KOs. He is now 34-years-old. Carlos is two years younger. His record is 27-3-1, 19KOs.

Panya's big chance came when he fought legendary compatriot Wanheng Menayothin in November 2020 for the WBC strawweight title and won a UD, Upsetting the apple cart big time.

Four successful defences including another UD victory over Wanheng. Then, away from home in Japan, he lost the title to Yudai Shigeoka by UD .

His next big chance came against "CCC" and he became WBC light-flyweight champion by the skin of his mouthguard. His only two defeats have been away from home.

Canizales fought WBA Champion Ryoichi Taguchi to a draw in 2016. Then, three wins in Venezuela and back to Asia and three more.

Surprisingly, he came badly unstuck against unheralded Mexican Esteban Bermudez, who stopped him in six unravelling rounds. But he bounced back with four wins, including a fourth-round KO of ex-champion Ganigan Lopez in 2022.

Canizales then won a WBA eliminator against Daniel Matellon, then fought Kenshiro Teraji for the WBC and WBA light-flyweight belts, but lost a competitive MD.

He won his next fight against Ivan Garcia Balderas by MD in 2024, before taking on Pradabsri for the first time last December.

Both Panya and Carlos want to markedly prove a point and improve. Whereas Carlos seeks vindication, Panya wants to prove the first time wasn`t a fluke and to be significantly more decisive this time around.

Pradabsri will aim to be more aggressive and possibly try to inflict an extra dosage of crunching body shots to slow the advance of the high-volume punching Venezuelan.

In front of his fans and in his home town, it's now or never for "Triple C". The ingredients of a fabulous rematch are on the table, waiting to be gobbled up as the main course. Serviettes are not required. We've reached a fork in the road.

Tale of the Tape

PANYA PRADABSRI (Thailand) WBC Light Flyweight World Champion Age: 34 DOB: February 21, 1991 Residence: Bangkok, Thailand Birthplace: Nam Yuen, Thailand Record: 44-2, 27 KOs Total rounds: 290 World championship fights: 6-1, 1 KO Height: 5’2” – 158cm Reach: 64” – 162cm Stance: Right-handed

CARLOS “CCC” CANIZALES (Venezuela) WBC #1 Light-Flyweight Age: 32 DOB: March 11, 1993 Residence, birthplace: Caracas, Venezuela Record: 27-3-1, 19 KOs Total rounds: 181 World championship fights: 3-3-1, 1 KO Height: 5’3” – 160cm Reach: 64.5” – 164cm Stance: Right-handed

Betting Odds

5/1 Pradabsri 1/6 Canizales 18/1 Draw

Prediction

Axel 72: "I think that Carlos Canizales is going to be able win by unanimous decision, so I think he is going to avenge his loss.

"I think Canizales has just got the strength and the ability to keep coming forwards and he is the more natural at the weight, and with the home crowd [behind him]."

WBC Top 10 Light-Flyweight Champions

1. Humberto Gonzalez (Mexico) 2. Hilario Zapata (Panama) 3. Michael Carbajal (USA) 4. Luis Estaba (Venezuela) 5. Jungkoo Chang (Korea) 6. Saman Sorjaturong (Thailand) 7. Jorge Arce (Mexico) 8. Edgar Sosa (Mexico) 9. Yosam Choi (Korea) 10. Tadashi Tomori (Japan)

DID YOU KNOW? 151 WBC light-flyweight world championship bouts have been held in history.