Jason Canoy (left) rocks Jetly Purisima with a left hook en route to scoring a fifth-round technical knockout win in the main event of “Rumble in Balamban” last Friday in Balamban town, Cebu.
(CONTRIBUTED)
Jason Canoy knows that he’s entering the twilight of what has been a roller-coaster career and that every fight is a must-win assignment.
Last Friday, the Omega Boxing Gym stalwart made sure that he stayed on track in his campaign to earn bigger fights as he pulled a fifth-round technical knockout (TKO) win over Jetly Purisima in the main event of the ‘Rumble in Balamban’ in Balamban town, western Cebu.
The win earned Canoy the vacant PBF bantamweight title and likewise settled an old score with Purisima whom he fought to a draw in 2012.
The first fight between the two fighters ended up a draw after Purisima sustained a cut in the second round due to accidental clash of heads.
“I was cautious in the first four rounds since I was aware that he headbutts a lot,” said Canoy, who pocketed his 26th win now spiked by 19 KO victories. He has six losses and two draws.
Fighting in front of his fellow Balambanons, Canoy went to work in the fifth round where he totally dominated Purisima, landing a barrage of combinations that put his opponent on the defensive.
The General Santos City-based Purisima found no answer to the onslaught and was forced to backpedal.
Purisima survived the round but waived the white flag before the start of the sixth. He dropped his record to 21W-20L-4D-6KOs.
“I’m happy to get a win in front of my hometown folk. It always feels good to fight here,” said Canoy, who shocked the boxing world when he scored a first-round knockout win over former world champion Drian Francisco in General Santos City in 2015.
Canoy, however, quickly crashed back to earth when he lost his next fight against debuting Japanese Hinata Maruta in Osaka, Japan last Nov. 22, 2015.
“I am already 25 years old now. I’ve set a goal that if I reach 28, and my career has no clear direction yet, I’ll quit boxing and perhaps focus on becoming a trainer or other means of livelihood. That’s why I’m very focused now as every fight could be my stepping stone to get bigger fights,” said Canoy in Cebuano.
Apart from Canoy, five other Omega Gym boxers emerged victorious in the fight card put up by the Omega Pro Sports International (OPSI).
In the supporting main event, Salatiel Amit (9W-1L-2D-7KOs) scored a third-round TKO win over Rodela Tejares ((20W-40L-7D-5KOs).
Rimon Rama (5W-0L-1D-4KOs) knocked out Jomar Diana (2W-5L-0D-2KOs) 27 seconds into the first round, Ponciano Rimandiman (4W-4L-1D-3KOs) pulled off a TKO win over Lenmar Prescillas (2W-3L-1KO), Ar-Ar Borbon (3W-1L-1D-3KOs) likewise chalked up a third-round TKO triumph over debuting Roman Getalada, while Oliver Genecera (2W-0L-2KOs) needed just one round to defeat Wilberto Rota.
Mark Vicelles (3W-0L-1D-2KOs) and Rodel Kirk Pelenio (3W-1L-1D-2KOs) fought to a split draw.