Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Boxing promoter advises Canoy to train harder By Bong Garcia
A BOXING promoter has advised the newly crowned World Boxing Organization (WBO) Orient-Pacific Featherweight champion Eric Canoy to train more to be ready to fight in an international bout.
Sammy Gelo-ani, the Philippine representative of Oscar Dela Hoya's Promotions, said Canoy needs more stamina after witnessing last Saturday's fight of the newly crowned WBO Orient-Pacific Featherweight champ against an African foe.
Canoy, who ranks number six in the Philippine Featherweight division before his latest fight, won by knock out in the ninth of the 12-round bout against WBO Orient-Pacific No. 1 fighter Rajabu Maoja of Tanzania, Africa.
"Canoy needs more stamina," Gelo-ani said citing Canoy's future is brighter.
He said they would prepare Canoy to fight within the next two or three months either fighting against any of the WBO's Featherweight ranking boxers or to defend his title.
Canoy is now one of the WBO Featherweight world-rated boxers after winning last Sunday's night fight against Maoja, according to Gelo-ani.
"He (Canoy) is now there (world-rated). I could not only say what number he will be ranked, but definitely he will be in the top 15 of the WBO world rating," Gelo-ani said.
It was learned from Canoy that during his amateur days, he has already fought in Atlanta, Georgia, and London.
However, he was not able to have a chance in becoming a professional boxer since he has no manager.
Canoy stayed idle until he recently re-surfaced and participated in one of the Golpe-Golpe na Barangay (Boxing at the Barangay) fights being held the auspices of second district Congressman Erico Basilio Fabian.
It was during one of the fights that Fabian selected Canoy to become one of his boxers under the lawmaker's Blue Stallion Stable.
Last Sunday's fight was the second victory of Canoy against a foreign foe after joining Fabian's stable.
The first was last December 1 where he knocked down a Thai opponent in the fourth of the 12-round match.
