BENNY Cañete is busy preparing to win his first regional title in what could be a career breakthrough fight.
“We are set to go. He’s 90 percent ready. We’re just setting our eyes on the prize and staying focused. We will bring home that WBC belt for the Cebuanos,” Omega Boxing Gym head coach Julius Erving “Jinggoy” Junco, Cañete’s trainer, told SunStar Cebu.
The 23-year-old Cañete is fighting fellow prospect Noli James Maquilan for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia Continental bantamweight title in the main event of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao’s “Blow-by-Blow” boxing series on March 24, 2024 at Okada Manjla Hotel and Casino in Parañaque City.
After suffering his first defeat last year at the hands of Kenneth Llover, Cañete bounced back with three straight wins. He beat journeyman Renoel Pael (23-13-1) and Jun Blazo (16-7-3) by decision in 2023 and stopped one-time world title challenger Phissanu Chimsunthom (50-13-2) in the first round last Jan. 26, 2024 at the Nustar Resort and Casino in Cebu City.
Cañete is 10-1 with seven knockouts, while Maquilan is 8-1 with five knockouts.
If he wins, Cañete could break into the bantamweight world rankings of the WBC, which has Japanese star Junto Nakatani as the current world champion. / EKA