WBF prexy guarantees fair officiating in South Africa
CANOY
The president of the World Boxing Federation (WBF) assured of a fair officiating when veteran Cebuano boxer Jason Canoy of the Omega Boxing Gym battles hometown bet Mzuvikile Magwaca on Saturday (Manila time) in Cape Town, South Africa.
Howard Golberg said that there isn’t going to be an issue with the fact that judges assigned in the world-title fight are South Africans.
“I told them that there is no South African or Filipino on the ring on fight night. Both are deserving boxers fighting for the WBF championship,” said Goldberg as relayed by Rico Navarro, vice president of the Omega Pro Sports International, which handles Canoy’s career. Navarro, along with trainer Jing-Jing Tepora, is with Canoy for the all-important fight.
Despite the assurance of fairness, Navarro said they were advised by some South African boxing enthusiasts that Canoy should bring the fight to Magwaca if he wants to brighten his chances of coming out victorious.
“Canoy’s chances of winning will depend on his being able to turn the fight into a brawl, hurting Magwaca and not have him apply and stick-and-run strategy,” said Navarro.
Magwaca was described as a technically gifted and talented boxer who fights from a distance instead of mixing it up.
Good to go
“Their advice is that Jason’s only chance to win is to engage Magwaca in a brawl since Magwaca is expected to box from a distance and play the boxer’s role. If Jason can cut the distance and turn this into a fistfight, he has better chances to win,” added Navarro.
With still one day before the fight, Canoy is just a pound over the 118-pound limit.
“He is good to go,” said Navarro.
At stake in the fight is the vacant World Boxing Federation World bantamweight title.
Magwaca has yet to taste a defeat. He has 17 wins, 10 by knockouts, and two draws. Magwaca is on a four-fight winning streak but rustiness may be an issue as he has not fought since Nov. 28, 2015.
Canoy, on the other hand, is looking to finally become a world champion as he enters the twilight of his career.
In previous interviews, the Balamban town, Cebu-native Canoy said he would consider hanging up his gloves if he fails to win a world title when he reaches the age of 27.
Now 26 years old, Canoy will go into Saturday’s fight with a record of 23 wins (19KOs), six losses and two draws.
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