Canoy spars with Melindo, ready for Magwaca

Veteran pug Jason Canoy gets a huge boost in training after having sparred with a world champion before his road assignment in South Africa next week.

The 26-year-old Canoy put in some rounds with interim International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight king Milan Melindo at the ALA Gym.

"Yes I sparred with him last week. He has been a huge help because he uses the same style as my opponent. Their only difference is that he is shorter than my opponent," Canoy, who fights out of the Omega Boxing Gym, told SunStar Cebu.

Canoy is taking on unbeaten South African prospect Mzuvukile Magwaca on March 31 for the World Boxing Federation (WBF) bantamweight title in Cape Town.

"It has been a huge help because when we watched the videos they have similar styles so Milan has been a very huge help for us," said Canoy's coach Jingjing Tepora.

Canoy also sparred with Virgel Vitor, Jess Rhey Waminal and Jeo Santisima at the ALA Gym.

Canoy has won back-to-back fights against Jestoni Autida and Jetly Purisma since losing on the road against Hinata Maruta in Japan n 2015.

"I think the only way I will win is if I knock him out. If I see an opportunity to knock him out, then I will go for it because I feel that if it will go the distance, then it will be a hometown decision for him," said Canoy.

Canoy, 26-6-2 with 19 knockouts, has lost all four of his international fights, wherein all were by decision.

"We want to put on pressure because when the moment that the opponent will run we will catch him and knock him out. That is what we have been doing in practice and that is our game plan," said Tepora.

Magwaca is an International Boxing Organization (IBO) Inter-Continental flyweight champion and a World Boxing Association (WBA) International bantamweight champion. He has a record of 17-02 with 10 knockouts.