Carlos Cañizales revives Venezuelan boxing with world title win

Venezuela hosted its first world championship fight in a decade when Carlos Cañizales challenged Panya Pradabsri for the vacant WBC light‑flyweight title in Maracaibo.  The 27‑year‑old Venezuelan seized the moment, knocking out Thailand’s Pradabsri in the fifth round.  Cañizales’s victory not only gave him a world title but also energized a boxing scene that had been dormant on the world stage.  The WBC reported that the bout marked the first world championship held in Venezuela since Jorge Linares defended his lightweight title in 2015.

Cañizales, known as “CCC,” used sharp combinations and precise body punching to break down the durable Pradabsri.  In round 5 he landed a left hook to the liver that dropped the Thai champion for the full count.  Celebrations erupted in the packed arena as the local hero was crowned.  The win positioned Cañizales as a potential opponent for other light‑flyweight champions and offered a feel‑good story for Venezuelan boxing fans craving global success.