Venezuelan fighter Carlos Canizales (28-3-1, 20 KO’s) has become a world champion for the first time of his career.

Discounting his tenure as the WBA “regular” champion from 2018 to 2021, Canizales was finally able to net a legitimate world title almost a decade after making his professional debut after several missed world title challenges.

Faced against WBC junior flyweight (108 lbs) champion Panya Pradabsri (44-3, 27 KO’s) from Thailand on Friday, August 1st, Canizales fought in his home country of Venezuela where those in attendance at the El Poliedro stadium were able to see Canizales finally net gold in a stupendous victory over Pradabsri.

The two fighters had met earlier in December while vying for the then-vacant WBC title. Pradabsri won the first bout and WBC belt through a majority decision (MD) win.

The second bout proved to be far from one-sided, however, as the first three rounds saw Pradabsri struggle with a fast-starting Canizales whose power punches forced the Thai champion to clinch early and often. Known for being patient and often defensive, Canizales gameplan was clearly altered from the first match as he sought to pressure and stifle Pradabsri’s technical skillset off the bat.

With Carlos Canizales often proving quite wild when coming in, a clash of heads culminated in the 3rd round that forced a doctor to intervene but the fight continued afterwards, with Pradabsri struggling largely to land cleanly as the Venezuelan continued his pressure and found success with several landed shots to both the body and the head.

However, it was exactly this approach that worked to Panya Pradabsri’s advantage in the 4th round as a well-timed right hand knocked Carlos Canizales down as he fell into the ropes, which swiftly seemed to tilt the fight into the Thai fighter’s favor. Canizales would go on to survive the round as Pradabsri now doubled-down on his pressure in an attempt to finish the Venezuelan off, though he failed in the attempt.

Gaining his senses back in the 5th round, Canizales’ body work over the past couple of rounds came to fruition as the two clashed more heatedly. Managing to trap Pradabsri into the corner, a crunching left hook to the body sent the Thai champion to the ground. Panya Pradabsri proved incapable of standing up, concluding the fight and allowing Carlos Canizales to become a genuine world champion for the first time of his career as he conquered Pradabsri’s WBC title.

The fight would be ruled as a knockout (KO) win for Carlos Canizales in the 5th round.