Pinoy Boxing Champ Ready To Face Thai Challenger In Zamboanga Bout

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 21, 2008) – Filipino boxer Eric Canoy, the current WBO Oriental featherweight champion, is all prepared to defend his belt against Thailand’s Terdsak Jandaeng in Zamboanga City in Mindanao island, organizers said.

Organizers said the Canoy-Jandaeng bout is set on July 27 at the 12,000-capacity Zamboanga City Coliseum, where the Filipino champion also defeated Tanzania’s Rajabu Maoja in February. It will be the second time since December last year that Canoy will face a Thai boxer after he defeated Sairung Raja Gym also at the Zamboanga Coliseum.

Canoy, called “Mr. Golpe-Golpe,” which means “the brawler,” by local fans, has trained the past weeks in Cebu province, his hometown in central Philippines. Canoy has 5 knockouts of the seven wins to his career record.

Many locals have predicted Canoy to win over the 27-year old Jandaeng. But Filipino fans of Jandaeng also foresee the southpaw Thai challenger nicknamed “the Pit bull” to be the next WBO Oriental featherweight champion because of his ferocious boxing style that earned him 20 knockout wins in his 33 fight record.

Jandaeng’s fans said the Thai boxer has an edge over Canoy because of his long fighting experience. Jandaeng had brutally fought with Juan Manuel Marquez in 2006, although he lost to the Mexican boxer.

Indian astrologer Bejan Daruwalla also predicted that Canoy may win the fight. “Ganesha finds that Eric Canoy may win in this boxing match and Terdsak Jandaeng may lose, despite good performance,” the astrologer predicted in his website Ganesha.

Gerky Valesco, a member of the Zamboanga City Council, said the 12-round championship bout is sure to attract thousands of boxing fans here from all around the country.

“This fight is sure to get thousands of boxing fans not only in Mindanao, but other parts of the Philippines. This is great boost to our tourism program. This is sports tourism and we hope to bring more title fights in Zamboanga City,” Valesco told the Mindanao Examiner. (Mindanao Examiner)