Minimumweight contender Alex Winwood remains on course to become the fastest Australian to win a world title with a WBC elimination bout with Joey Canoy set for June 12 in Sydney.
Winwood (4-0, 2 KOs) has his sights on Jeff Fenech’s record of claiming a world title in just his seventh fight. Melvin Jerusalem currently holds the world title that would bring Winwood some early legacy. The Filipino caused an upset with a split-decision win over Yudai Shigeoka in Japan two weeks ago to become a two-time world champion.
“It’s going to be Alex Winwood the No. 2 against Joey Canoy, the No. 3,” Tony Tolj, Winwood’s promoter, said to BoxingScene. “What is intriguing about the fight is that Joey Canoy holds a victory over the current WBC champion a few years back. He’s in good form with three knockouts in three fights, he also won an OPBF title in Japan.
“It’s a big step up for Alex, but we just want any fight that will get us close to a world champion. We need another solid litmus test for him if he is going to achieve what we believe he can. We’ve been progressing his levels in every fight, so that when he does fight for a world title he’ll be prepared.”
The 26-year-old Western Australian is ranked by all four of the governing bodies in a division that is impossible to predict.
“Most thought, including us, Jerusalem would lose but he dropped Yudai twice in that fight and won a split decision,” Tolj continued. “You never know in any of these world title fights, it’s razor thin a lot of the time. It’s hard to plan, but we plan to get through Canoy and then get Jerusalem next.
“I enjoy working with most fighters, but I get real satisfaction seeing someone like Alex test his boundaries. He just wants to fight the best out there. He’s just four fights in a fight against a guy who fought 27 pro fights and beat the current world champion. You just have to admire his ambition to create boxing history.”
Fenech did just that when he defeated Satoshi Shingaki to win the IBF bantamweight world title in 1985. Fenech stopped the Japanese world champion through a ninth-round stoppage at Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, at the same venue where Winwood will face Canoy.
“If he beats Canoy and then wins a world title straight after he will beat the record,” Tolj added. “We are aiming for the stars and whatever happens, happens. We are expecting a tough fight from Canoy. I’ve never seen any Filipino be an easy fight.
“We have great respect for Filipino fighters. They have good camps and know how to prepare for big fights. Canoy is a class act, he’s with Sandman Boxing who are the premier company in the Philippines. They don’t have B-class fighters.”