Jason Canoy (2nd from left) and Jestoni Autida in a staredown after their weigh-in for their main event encounter of tonight’s Uptown Rumble in One Mango Avenue, Cebu City. Yesterday’s weigh-in held at Pino Plaza was attended by officials of Omega Pro Sports International led by its vice president Chad Cañares (3rd from right). (CDN PHOTO/ Christian Maningo)
Jason Canoy is ending a long hiatus, and the Omega Gym stalwart is eager to show how much he missed boxing.
Canoy vowed to put on a stellar show in his return to the ring as he takes on Jestoni Autida in the main of Uptown Rumble tonight at One Mango Avenue in Cebu City.
“I won’t promise what round, but a knockout will happen,” said Canoy after yesterday’s weigh-in at Plaza Pino.
Canoy last fought in Nov. 22 last year in Osaka, Japan, and it was a fight he’d rather forget after he absorbed a unanimous decision loss to debuting Japanese fighter Hinata Maruta.
“I missed going up in the ring. My conditioning right now is different, and I’m very confident that I am going to win,” said the 26-year-old fighter, who tipped the scales at 118.6 pounds.
Sporting a 24W-6L-2D-18KOs record, Canoy is looking to conquer Autida, a former World Boxing Association (WBA) Asia bantamweight champion.
Canoy is out to regain his confidence that plummeted after suffering that shocking loss to Maruta.
The loss to Maruta came as a big surprise as Canoy was coming off an impressive win over former interim world champion Drian Francisco, whom he knocked out in thier May encounter last year.
“Knocking him (Francisco) out easily was something I did not expect. That really boosted my confidence,” Canoy said.
Canoy admitted that in his last fight, he took his opponent lightly and paid dearly for it.
“I underestimated my opponent (Maruta). He was very skillful, and he defeated me fair and square,” he said.
Canoy knows nothing would be easy against Autida, who is also looking to bounce back from a loss.
Autida, who has nine wins with four losses, is coming off a second round knockout defeat to Ryo Matsumoto in Japan.
“I have the height advantage against Canoy and I will use it intelligently,” said Autida, who weighed-in at 119.8 pounds.
The free-of-charge fight card promoted by Omega Pro Sports International will have Jerry Castroverde (8-2, 4 KOs) taking on Hagibis Quinones (5-17-1, 4 KOs) in the main supporting bout.
In the undercard, Jhaleel Payao (12-1, 7 KOs) faces JR Salvador (5-27-3); South Korean Kim Jae Ho (6-1-1, 2 KOs) battles Ryan Quimbo (4-12-1); Salatiel Amit (7-1-2, 5 KOs) takes on unbeaten Junriel Jimenez (5-0, 2 KOs); Jay-R Aliasot (2-1, 2 KOs) clashes with Holy Quinones (1-5-1); Ponciano Rimandiman (2-4-1, 1 KO) collides with Jojie Bautista; Ar-Ar Borbon (2-0-1, 2 KOs) fights Ian Rafuela (1-0, 1 KO); and Oliver Genecera debuts against Jonard Tabar (0-1).