More mandatory challengers
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 03 Mar 2025
L-R: AJ Paciones, Joey Canoy and Vic Saludar.
In the first of this two-part series, three Filipino No. 1 contenders were featured as mandatory challengers in line to take world title cracks this year----WBO No. 1 superfeatherweight Charly Suarez, IBF No. 1 lightflyweight Christian Araneta and WBO No. 1 lightflyweight Regie Suganob.
Three more Filipino fighters are in the queue for mandatory championship shots. They are WBA No. 2 (No. 1 is vacant) lightflyweight Arvin Jhon Paciones, IBF No. 3 (Nos. 1 and 2 are vacant) minimumweight Joey Canoy and WBO No. 1 minimumweight Vic Saludar.
Paciones, 20, is rated No 2 by WBA with the No. 1 slot vacant. Known as The Sniper, Paciones has a 10-0 record, with five KOs and is based in Ho Chi Minh City. His target is WBA champion Erick Rosa of the Dominican Republic. Rosa, 24, totes an 8-0 mark, with two KOs. In 2021, Rosa scored a split 12-round decision over former WBA/WBO minimumweight king Saludar in a war where both fighters took mandatory eight-counts.
Canoy, 31, is unbeaten in his last eight fights, including a draw. A pro since 2012, the southpaw has failed in three bids to capture the lightly-regarded IBO minimumweight crown, all against South Africans on their home soil. In 2017, Canoy was dropped in the seventh round and didn’t come out for the eighth in losing to Hekkie Budler. In 2018, he floored Simpiwe Konkco in the second frame but the fight was called off in the fourth with the South African bleeding from a cut near the right eye due to an accidental headbutt. It was declared a no-contest. In 2019, Canoy lost to Nkosinathi Joyi on a unanimous decision.
Now, Canoy is on a hot streak and gaining ground in trying to seal a title opportunity. Canoy, however, has to be more active, fighting only once in 2023 and once last year. Canoy’s record is 23-5-2, with 14 KOs. His target is countryman Pedro Taduran who holds the IBF strap. Taduran will stake his crown against Ginjiro Shigeoka in Osaka on May 24.
Saludar, 34, has won his last five outings, all abbreviated, to raise his record to 26-6, with 16 KOs. He’s out to engage WBO ruler Oscar Collazo, a New Jersey-born Puerto Rican, in a rematch after their tumultuous duel in Los Angeles in 2022. In their first meeting, both fighters went down in the seventh round. Collazo, 28, has an 11-0 record, with eight KOs and his victims include two other Filipinos, Melvin Jerusalem and Garen Diagan. If Collazo decides to move up to lightflyweight, Saludar will dispute the vacant throne with No. 2 contender DianXing Zhu of China. Zhu, 28, boasts a 14-1 record, with 12 KOs and his last three victims were Filipinos Jerry Francisco, Marco John Rementizo and Richard Garde.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Jayson Mama Set to Challenge for IBO World Super Flyweight Title in Johannesburg
Sat, 17 May 2025Fisher vs Allen 2: Can Johnny Make Necessary Improvements?
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 17 May 2025Weights from Panamá City
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 17 May 2025CRUZ LANDS IBF ELIMINATOR AGAINST MISHIRO IN NEW YORK
Sat, 17 May 2025Fisher and Allen Hit the Scales Ahead of Highly Anticipated Heavyweight Rematch
Sat, 17 May 2025Boxing: Sport Entertainment or Entertainment Sport (Part Two)
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 16 May 2025NYC PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES: BERLANGA VS. SHEERAZ / SHAKUR STEVENSON VS. WILLIAM ZEPEDA
Fri, 16 May 2025HALL OF FAME TRAINER FREDDIE ROACH TO BE HONORED BY THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IN PUBLIC CEREMONY AT FREDDIE'S GYM!
Fri, 16 May 2025HALL OF FAME BROADCASTER JIM LAMPLEY TO PARTICIPATE IN 2025 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND FESTIVITIES
Fri, 16 May 2025Minnesota, Indiana Back Again in the Eastern and Western Conference Finals
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Thu, 15 May 2025In Jonathan’s memory
By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 15 May 2025WATCH: HITCHINS AND KAMBOSOS JR IN INTENSE FACE-OFF WITH ONE MONTH UNTIL NYC SHOWDOWN
Thu, 15 May 2025Toledo-Xignex Trojans finally win the PCAP online team chess tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 15 May 2025Former WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Nazarena Romero to Exercise Immediate Rematch Clause Against Mayelli Flores Rosquero
Thu, 15 May 2025Pacquiao's Controversial WBC Ranking Explained: "Legend" Status Cited Amid July Return
By Dong Secuya, Thu, 15 May 2025