Ganoza eyes regional belt

CRIS Ganoza looks to win his first regional belt and a chance to be world-rated as he challenges 19-year-old World Boxing Assiociation (WBA) Asia minimumweight champion ArAr Andales on April 13 in Bacoor, Cavite.

“This will be a good fight. Andales is a fighter and has that kind of style that Ganoza wants. I think Ganoza has a chance of winning this,” Big Yellow Boxing Gym head coach Christopher “Ping-Ping” Tepora told SunStar Cebu.

The 24-year-old Ganoza fought for two minor titles and lost in both of those fights. He fought current Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) light flyweight king Edward Heno for the Philippine Boxing Fderation light flyweight belt and lost by a ninth round knockout in 2017. Ganoza dropped back to minimumweight and fought John Michael Zulueta for the vacant Asian Boxing Federation belt and lost by split decision last year.

Though he has lost in his biggest fights, Tepora has high hopes that this time Ganoza will finally win his first belt.

“I really see that he has a chance of winning it,” said Tepora. “Ganoza has been training really hard. He has been sparring Carlo Demecillo, Clyde Azarcon and Rhonvex Capuloy.”

Andales won the vacant WBA Asia belt just last Jan. 26 with a fifth round knockout over Charlie Malupangue.

Though he has a very good resume, Andales hasn’t fought an opponent on Ganoza’s level. The best opposition that he has faced is fellow 19-year olds Miel Fajardo, who’s 5-1-1, and Jonathan Almacen, who’s 5-2-2.

Ganoza, who has won backto-back fights, is 17-2 with eight knockouts, while Andales is 9-0 with two knockouts. /