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Carlos Antonio Cañizales Civira (born 11 March 1993) is a Venezuelan professional boxer who held the WBA (Regular) light flyweight title from 2018 until 2021.

Professional career

WBA light–flyweight champion

Cañizales was scheduled to face Reiya Konishi for the vacant WBA (Regular) light flyweight title on 18 March 2018, at the Portopia Hotel in Kobe, Japan, and was broadcast by Fuji TV NEXT domestically. Cañizales was at the time the #1 ranked WBA light-flyweight contender, while Konishi came in as the #2 ranked contender. Cañizales won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 116–111, 115–112 and 114–113. The pivotal moment came in the third round when Cañizales knocked Konishi down with a right, which ended up putting Cañizales ahead on two of the judges' scorecards.

Cañizales made his first WBA Regular light-flyweight title defense against Lü Bin, in what was Bin's second professional bout, following a moderately successful amateur career. The title fight was scheduled for the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Lucas Matthysse welterweight championship fight on 15 July 2018. Cañizales began to take over from the fourth round onward, and knocked Bin down with a right in the eleventh round, which also opened a cut above his right eye. Cañizales knocked Bin down once more in the twelfth round, which forced referee Gustavo Padilla to stop the fight at the very last second.

Cañizales made his second title defense against the former WBO flyweight champion Sho Kimura on 26 May 2019 at the Fuzhou Sports Center Gymnasium in Fuzhou, China. The bout was streamed by the WBA on their website. Cañizalez won the fight by a dominant unanimous decision, with scores of 118–110, 119–109 and 119–109.

Cañizales was scheduled to make his third title defense against Esteban Bermudez on 28 May 2021, following a two-year absence from the sport. Bermudez won the fight by a sixth-round knockout. He staggered Cañizales with an overhead right, and dropped him with a right hook shortly after. Although Cañizales was able to beat the eight count, he was knocked out just two seconds later.

Post title-reign

Cañizales was scheduled to face German Valenzuela on 29 October 2021, in his first fight post title loss. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 98–92, 98–92 and 99–91. Cañizales dominated from the start, managing to outwork the taller Valenzuela for the majority of the fight.

On January 27, 2022, the WBA allowed Esteban Bermudez to make a voluntary title defense against Cañizales, as Kyoguchi withdrew from a scheduled purse bid due to an injury. However, Cañizales opted to face Ganigan López for the vacant WBA Continental Americas flyweight title on 26 March 2022. He won the fight by a fourth-round knockout, flooring López with a right hook at the 1:45 minute mark.

Cañizales faced Armando Torres for the vacant WBA Fedecaribe flyweight title on August 20, 2022, at the Blackberry Auditorium in Mexico City, Mexico. He won the fight by a first-round technical knockout, as Torres' corner threw in the towel at the 2:05 minute mark of the opening round.

Cañizales faced the #1 ranked WBA light flyweight contender, and former interim titlist, Daniel Matellon in a WBA title eliminator on June 10, 2023, at the Casino Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He won the fight by technical decision, with two scorecards of 77–73 and one scorecard of 76–74. The fight was stopped at the end of the eighth round, on the advice of the ringside physician, due to a cut above Cañizales' left eye caused by a second-round headbutt. Matellon was deducted a point in both the second and the eighth round for repeated headbutts.

Professional boxing record

See also

• List of world light-flyweight boxing champions

References

1. "Canizales beats Konishi to win WBA 108lb belt". Fightnews. 18 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
2. "神戸W世界戦計量、山中竜也&小西伶弥ら4選手合格". boxingnews.jp. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
3. "小西と王座を争うカニサレス 公開練習で前代未聞の「公開計量」". daily.co.jp. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
4. "小西伶弥判定負け世界失敗「完敗」16戦目で初黒星". nikkansports.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
5. Stumberg, Patrick L. (18 April 2018). "Carlos Canizales vs. Lu Bin joins Pacquiao-Matthysse card". badlefthook.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
6. Idec, Keith (14 July 2018). "Canizales KOs Bin in 12th Round, Retains Light Flyweight Title". boxingscene.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
7. Skok, Nick (24 May 2019). "Sho Kimura: 'I'm willing to exchange punches with Carlos Canizales, if he isn't scared to engage'". ringtv.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
8. "Carlos Cañizales demolished Sho Kimura by unanimous decision". sclate.com. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
9. "El mexicano Esteban Bermúdez y el venezolano Carlos Cañizales, a todo o nada por el título mundial de la AMB". titanchannel.com. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
10. O'Hara, Ryan (28 May 2021). "Esteban Bermudez stuns Carlos Canizales by sixth round knockout". ringtv.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
11. "Carlos Cañizales goes for the win against Germán Valenzuela". newswep.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
12. Salazar, Francisco (31 October 2021). "Carlos Canizales Bounces Back With Decision Over Valenzuela in Mexico City". boxingscene.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
13. Donovan, Jake (27 January 2022). "Bermudez-Canizales Rematch Approved By WBA, Winner To Face Kyoguchi". boxingscene.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
14. Rivera, Miguel (27 March 2022). "Carlos Canizales Drills Ganigan Lopez in Fourth Round in Mexico City". boxingscene.com. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
15. "Carlos Cañizales contra Armando Torres este sábado en México". notifight.com. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
16. "Cañizales retiene, Ramírez destronó a Aguilar". ringtropical.com.mx. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
17. "AMB ordena eliminatoria final Matellon-Cañizales". fightnews.com. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
18. Morilla, Diego (11 June 2023). "Rivas And Romero Draw, Cañizales Survives Matellon In KO To Drugs Double Card In Argentina – Full Report". ringtv.com. Retrieved 12 June 2023.

External links

• Boxing record for Carlos Cañizales from BoxRec (registration required)
• Carlos Cañizales - Profile, News Archive & Current Rankings at Box.Live

• 1993 births
• Living people
• Venezuelan male boxers
• Boxers from Caracas
• World light-flyweight boxing champions
• World Boxing Association champions