Carlos Canizales has been forced out of his December 4 junior flyweight title defense in Bangkok after a sudden air travel ban in Venezuela left him unable to leave the country. The WBC 108lbs champion was scheduled to face former strawweight king Thammanoon Niyomtrong at the sanctioning body’s annual convention, but a wave of flight cancellations stranded more than 8,000 passengers, including the reigning titlist.
Canizales explained that he had been ready to travel on Thursday before learning that all options out of Venezuela were shut down. Alternate routes required five different connecting flights, a grueling itinerary that would have left him no time to recover before fight week. In a video posted to social media, he apologized to fans and the WBC, saying, “We have decided not to fight… God knows why He does things.”
Niyomtrong will now remain on the show against Argentina’s Junior Zarate, with reports indicating the WBC title will stay at stake. That could lead to Canizales being named “Champion in Recess,” despite these circumstances being entirely outside his control. The Venezuelan fighter was due to make the first defense of the belt he won in August when he stopped Panya Pradabsri in their rematch in Caracas.
The setback continues Canizales’ difficult run with Thailand-hosted fights. His first bout with Pradabsri there ended in a highly controversial majority decision loss - one even WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman publicly questioned. An ordered immediate rematch allowed him to regain the title at home before plans for a trilogy dissolved when Pradabsri retired.
For now, Canizales must wait for the geopolitical situation between Venezuela and the United States to ease before resuming his career. “I hope to secure a new date and arrive in top form to defend what is ours,” he said. “Thank you for your unwavering support; we remain steadfast.”
Image Credit: WBA