Cebu-based Joey “Canoy Singwangcha” Canoy of Flores Boxing Gym failed in his first world title fight, losing to South African Hekkie “Hexecutioner” Budler via an eighth-round technical knockout yesterday in Gauteng, South Africa.
Fighting for the vacant IBO junior flyweight title, Canoy fought gallantly in the early rounds but slowed down after the third because of abdominal cramps and eventually calling it a night before the start of the eighth round.
The 28-year-old Budler bagged his fourth world title and improved to 31 wins (10 knockouts) and two losses while the 23-year-old Canoy dropped to 12-3-1 (win-loss-draw) with six knockout victories.
“[Canoy] showed a very promising fight. Everyone was impressed with what he has shown here in South Africa,” Canoy’s trainer Brix Flores said despite the loss.
In the opening round, Canoy made an impact when he caught Budler with a right hook. Surprised with the power shot, Budler used his footwork to avoid getting hit again. Since then, Budler stepped up his game, launching combos that found their targets.
It didn’t help that Canoy suffered from abdominal cramps from the third round onwards. After the seventh round, during the rest period, Flores decided not to let his ward continue since Canoy could not withstand his cramps.
“My best advice for him is not to get discouraged from this defeat but instead he must continue to train and improve his boxing skills. I also told him that we have to go back to the minimum weight division because the flyweight division is too heavy and big for him,” Flores said.
More experienced
It was in the seventh round that Budler scored a knockdown, but it seemed that Canoy just slipped. The referee, however, saw it differently and scored it as a knockdown.
“I admit, Budler was the better boxer in that fight. But Joey told me that Budler’s punches did not hurt him. I think Joey was just outsmarted by the more experienced opponent in that fight,” added Flores.
Canoy is the fifth Filipino boxer who lost to Budler. The South African orthodox boxer also beat former world champion Florante Condes, Juanito Rubillar, Michael Landero and Renan Trongco.