The city of Iloilo has produced many excellent fighters in recent years, and Juanito Paredes belongs to that assembly line of good amateurs that have gone on to forge successful pro careers. The man dubbed “El Kapitan” has scored 8 wins since going professional in 2014, and returns next month to the ominous task of disarming the popular Roy “d’Hammer” Sumugat. Paredes rises in weight class to meet Sumugat at 135 pounds, and whilst it must be said that his best efforts historically are at 126, El Kapitan is no stranger to taking on the bigger fighters. In late 2019 he ventured to South Korea and rose 25 pounds to fight Gyung Mo Yuh at Super Welter, a formidable task, yet only failing narrowly by dropping a points decision. Prior to that defeat, Paredes was successful in 7 of his 8 bouts, his lone loss being to fellow Iloilo boxer Jules Victoriano.
Juanito Paredes spent 2020 on the sidelines due to the pandemic, and resumed early this year with an encouraging effort against the top class Pete Apolinar. Whilst beaten on points, this strong orthodox boxer was always well balanced and had no trouble taking Apolinar’s best shots, often landing useful counters of his own. It was clearly not his best performance, but the ease with which he handled Apolinar suggested that he probably had some ring rust that limited his offensive options that night. Like Apolinar, big Roy Sumugat shoots from a southpaw stance, and this looks to be something that Paredes is very experienced with. But how about the issue of the heavier weight class? Juanito Paredes is the taller of the two fighters, so he will need to the control action with his jab a lot better than he did in the Apolinar fight.
Paredes actually has a really beautiful jab, but he kept it in the holster that night, and he will need it back big time to keep Sumugat at range. D’Hammer is very definitely one of the most under rated boxers in the Philippines, he has really good understanding of range, great foot work, and even though hes has plenty of power, he is very patient as to when best to use it. Importantly, Sumugat has intuitive shot selection and when the time is right, he really knows when to drop D’Hammer!!! El Kapitan knows his way around the ring, so his game plan won’t be to trade with the heavier Sumugat. This fight is about Paredes using his ring IQ to keep Sumugat at distance, and then draw him in from a narrow stance, punch, and then make angle. But he will require constant focus in order to make this a frustrating night for Roy Sumugat, and avoid feeling the wrath of D’Hammer!
Simply put, we think ULTIMATE KNOCKOUT CHALLENGE is going to be the biggest show of the year in the Philippines! 13 fights with some of the biggest names in the country coming together to show you what quality match ups looks like. To make the event even more entertaining, VSP Promotions will give away USD 1,000 to anyone that can correctly guess the outcome of each fight! It's FREE so make sure to try our VSP SUREPICK!
Jino Rodrigo has been in outstanding form of late, exuding a brand of violence that is equal parts shock and awe, and no doubt his secret to it all :
TRAIN HARD - STAY BUSY !!
Jino has also taken his most recent fights in the United States on very short notice against top opposition, and this Sunday he continues on that path tackling his most formidable task yet !
Standing in his way will be World #1 amateur and recent Golden Boy signing Ruslan Abdullaev !!
Yes, you heard right.
Golden Boy.
They love to protect their new signings, and extremely LATE CALL UPS is one of their most common tricks to make sure an opponent is way below their best.
That said, Jino Rodrigo has stayed in shape since a very recent knockout performance in March, and he's more than grateful to get the fight with hot prospect Ruslan Abdullaev.
So here's how they line up :
Fight Night Alert: Ruslan Abdullaev vs. Jino Rodrigo – This Saturday on DAZN
All eyes turn to Oceanside, California this Saturday, April 19, as world number one amateur-turned-pro Ruslan Abdullaev steps into the ring for his second professional bout at Frontwave Arena — broadcast live worldwide on DAZN from 5 PM PT.
The 2024 Uzbekistan Olympian made waves in his pro debut under the Golden Boy Promotions banner, delivering a clinical second-round knockout against Jose Alvarado. Abdullaev’s speed, precision, and composure were on full display, making it clear: the amateur king is now hunting crowns in the pro ranks.
But standing in his way is Jino Rodrigo, a dangerous late replacement from the Philippines who’s far from just filling a slot.
Rodrigo has quietly built a reputation as a fight-finisher — winning 4 of his last 5 by stoppage.
His only recent loss came against red-hot contender Elvis Rodriguez, and even then, Rodrigo dropped Rodriguez early and had him reeling before losing a close decision.
He’s been staying sharp, and with nothing to lose, he’s coming to shock the boxing world.
The stage is set:
Date: Saturday, April 19
Time: 5 PM PT
Location: Frontwave Arena, Oceanside, CA
Live Stream: DAZN (Worldwide)
Joey Canoy meets Sam Minh Phat !!
JOEY CANOY (The Babyface)
Record: 23 Wins – 5 Losses – 2 Draws
Knockouts: 14 KOs (60.87% KO rate)
Ranking: #13 in the world / #4 in the Philippines
Career: 2012 – 2024
Age: 31
Stance: Southpaw
Height: 5′3″ (160 cm)
Residence/Birthplace: General Santos City, Philippines
Total Bouts: 32 (189 Rounds)
Recent Form (Last 5 Fights):
2024-12-27: Def. Ariston Aton (W-UD 8/8)
2024-08-30: Def. Jonathan Refugio (W-RTD 5/12)
2024-07-11: Def. Pablito Balidio (W-KO 1/8)
2023-07-12: Def. Clyde Azarcon (W-TKO 4/8)
2022-12-04: Def. Kenichi Horikawa (W-TKO 7/12)
Analysis:
Canoy is an experienced and battle-tested fighter, with over a decade in the sport and nearly 200 rounds under his belt. He has faced tougher opposition, including veterans like Kenichi Horikawa, and is riding a strong win streak. His southpaw stance adds a tactical dimension, often challenging for orthodox opponents. He blends power with durability, having only been stopped twice in 32 fights.
SAM MINH PHAT (Leopard Kim)
Record: 10 Wins – 5 Losses – 0 Draws
Knockouts: 8 KOs (80% KO rate)
Ranking: #67 in the world / #1 in Vietnam
Career: 2017 – 2025
Age: 30
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5′3″ (160 cm)
Residence/Birthplace: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Total Bouts: 15 (67 Rounds)
Recent Form (Last 5 Fights):
2025-02-20: Def. Ne Lin Aung (W-TKO 2/6)
2023-07-15: Lost to DianXing Zhu (L-RTD 9/10)
2022-07-30: Def. Heri Purnomo (W-TKO 2/8)
2022-04-23: Def. Le Dieu Phuoc (W-TKO 5/6)
2021-10-23: Lost to ArAr Andales (L-TKO 7/12)
Analysis:
Sam Minh Phat is an explosive, aggressive puncher with a high KO ratio. Despite only 15 professional bouts, his fights tend to end early, showing that he thrives on fast starts and power shots. However, his losses to more seasoned opponents (like ArAr Andales) expose vulnerabilities in stamina and ring IQ against experienced fighters. He’s a rising star in Vietnam but hasn’t yet proven himself consistently at the international level.
Head-to-Head Outlook:
Joey Canoy holds the edge in experience, durability, and fight craft. While Sam Minh Phat boasts impressive KO power, he’s largely untested against world-ranked opposition, with the exception of Chinese #1 Zhu DianXing.
Canoy’s southpaw stance and savvy approach would likely neutralize Phat’s early pressure, wearing him down in later rounds. If the fight goes deep, Canoy becomes the clear favorite. If Phat can land big early, he is a huge chance to pull the win. If not, he’ll struggle to keep up with Canoy’s pace and discipline.
Great and intriguing fight !!
PHILIPPINES 🇵🇭 STAR A REAL UNDERDOG
Betting markets have just gone up, and as you'd expect, Mexico's Emanuel Navarrete is quoted as an "unbeatable" favourite against the "King's Warrior" Charly Suarez.
But world boxing fans are not so well informed, and often fickle, and these opening markets offer huge value to those loyal to the chances of the Philippines' best boxer.
Here's how the two fighters line up according to BoxLive :
PREVIEW
When is Navarrete vs Suarez?
Emanuel Navarrete will face the challenge of Charly Suarez on Saturday, May 10th, 2025, at Pechanga Arena, San Diego.
The fight will be contested over 12 rounds in the Super Featherweight division, which means the weight limit will be 130 pounds (9.3 stone or 59 kg).
This contest is for the WBO super featherweight championship of the world.
FIGHTER STATS
Emanuel Navarrete steps into the ring with a record of 39 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw, 32 of those wins coming by way of knockout.
Charly Suarez will make his way to the ring with an unblemished record of 18 wins and 0 draws, with 10 of those by knockout.
The stats suggest Navarrete has a large advantage in power over Suarez, boasting a 82% knockout percentage compared to Suarez's 56%.
Emanuel Navarrete is the younger man by 6 years, at 30 years old.
Navarrete has a height advantage of 1 inch over Suarez. This also extends to a 7-inch reach advantage.
Both Emanuel Navarrete and Charly Suarez fight out of an orthodox stance.
Navarrete is the more experienced professional fighter, having had 24 more fights, and made his debut in 2012, 7 years earlier than Suarez, whose first professional fight was in 2019. He has fought 123 more professional rounds, totaling 246 compared to Suarez's 123.
Emanuel Navarrete goes into the fight ranked number 1 by The Ring at super featherweight.
Charly Suarez is currently ranked number 15 by the WBC, 1 by the WBO, and 4 by the IBF in the 130lb division.
CURRENT FORM
Navarrete has beaten 3 of his last 5 opponents, stopping 2 of them, going the distance once.
In his last fight, he beat Oscar Valdez on December 7, 2024, by knockout in the 6th round in their WBO World Junior Lightweight championship fight at Footprint Center, Phoenix, United States.
Prior to that, he had been beaten by Denys Berinchyk on May 18, 2024, by split decision in their WBO World Lightweight championship fight at Pechanga Arena, San Diego.
Going into that contest, he had drawn with Robson Conceicao on November 16, 2023, by majority draw in their 12 round contest in their WBO World Junior Lightweight championship fight at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas.
Before that, he had beaten Oscar Valdez on August 12, 2023, by unanimous decision in their WBO World Junior Lightweight championship fight at Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale.
He had won against Liam Wilson on February 3, 2023, by technical knockout in the 9th round in their WBO World Junior Lightweight championship fight at Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale.
Charly Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs) had several hundred fights as an amateur, representing his homeland at the 2016 Olympics and several World Championships.
A six-year pro, he won a pair of regional titles in March 2023 when he scored a come-from-behind 12th-round stoppage over Paul Fleming on hostile turf in Sydney, Australia.
The Fleming triumph paved the way for a deal with Top Rank, and Suarez has won three straight fights in America. He knocked out Jorge Castañeda in three rounds last September, which came five months removed from a hard-fought eight-round decision over Louie Coria.
ACTIVITY CHECK
Navarrete's last 5 fights have come over a period of 2 years, 3 months and 7 days, which means he has been fighting approximately every 5 months and 14 days. In those fights, he fought a total of 51 rounds, meaning that they have lasted 10.2 rounds on average.
Navarrete will be making his 4th defense of the WBO World Junior Lightweight Championship. He won this belt against Liam Wilson in February 2023.He had held this belt for 2 years, 1 month and 23 days.
Suarez has had 2 fights in 2023, and 2 fights in 2024. His most recent was a knockout victory in September of last year against Jorge Castañeda. This will be his first attempt at the WBO World Title.
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