Friday’s rematch between junior-flyweight titleholder Panya Pradabsri and Carlos Canizales has landed a broadcast partner in the United States, airing August 1 on ESPN Deportes starting at 11pm Eastern Time (4am BST).
Pradabsri, 44-2 (27 KOs), won the vacant WBC belt in highly controversial fashion in December, when taking a majority decision by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114. The WBC mandated an immediate rematch.
While Pradabsri-Canizales took place in Pradabsri’s hometown of Bangkok, Thailand, the sequel is taking place in Canizales’ territory, at El Poliedro de Caracas in Venezuela’s capital city.
Pradabsri, 34 years old and also known as Petchmanee CP Freshmart, unseated long-time strawweight titleholder Wanheng Menayothin in November 2020, ending Menayothin’s unbeaten streak at 54 wins and taking his WBC belt in the process. Pradabsri made four successful defenses, including a rematch win over Menayothin, before losing a decision to Yudai Shigeoka in October 2023.
This will be the fourth shot at a primary world title for the 32-year-old Canizales, 27-3-1 (19 KOs). He drew with the WBA titleholder Ryoichi Taguchi in 2016, won the sanctioning body’s secondary belt in 2018, and lost it in 2021. Canizales lost a majority decision to then-108lbs champion Kenshiro Teraji at the start of 2024 and came up short in the eyes of the judges against Pradabsri at the end of 2024.
David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.
