Thammanoon “Knockout CP Freshmart” Niyomtrong vs. Junior Leandro Zarate - December 4, 2025

[Ruthless-RKO]

Carlos Canizales Out, Niyomtrong-Zarate For WBC Vacant 108-Pound Title On Dec. 4

Carlos Canizales' proposed WBC junior flyweight world title defence against Thammanoon Niyomtrong will not go ahead as planned next week in Bangkok, Thailand.

Niyomtrong (28-1, 11 KOs) will now face Argentina's Junior Leandro Zarate (26-5, 9 KOs) for a vacant world title on Dec. 4, as first reported by ESPN Knockout's Renato Bermudez.

An foreign air travel ban impacting thousands of passengers in his native Venezuela has meant The Ring's No. 1-rated operator Canizales is stranded at home, having originally planned to fly out on Thursday. It also effectively demotes Canizales through factors out of his control, seeing as this was originally a voluntary title defence.

The 32-year-old (28-3-1, 20 KOs) has been placed as champion in recess until again able to resume his international career, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed to The Ring.

The sanctioning body's official statement read:

"The WBC Board of Governors has thoroughly reviewed the situation surrounding the light fly division and with the current political complications directly impacting our champion's availability to leave the country, or even organize a world championship event.

"Carlos Canizales has been placed as champion in recess until the time he is able to resume his international career. Thammanoon Niyomtrong has been approved to fight WBC's No. 3-ranked Junior Zarate for the light flyweight championship."

The 11-year pro posted a video on his social media account, sincerely apologising to those looking forward to his return, while highlighting alternate travel plans would've seen him board five separate flights to reach Thailand before next Thursday's show.

He wouldn't have safely landed there until Sunday evening local time, at the earliest, while ignoring the 11-hour time difference between the two countries in addition to several long layovers he would've endured en route.

Niyomtrong, The Ring's No. 3-rated strawweight contender, won and made 11 defences of the WBA 105-pound title before being stopped in seven rounds by Ring and WBO beltholder Oscar Collazo last November 16.

Zarate has won two straight since dropping a 12-round split decision to South Africa's Mpumelelo Tshabalala in September 2024, recently outpointing Juan Coronel on August 16 - two weeks after Canizales' fifth-round finish of Panya Pradabsri in their rematch.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight Week!!

[handsofstone]

CP Freshmart won a UD, 5 judges as well, WBC as usual pissing about, 117-113 and 116-112 x4 , I had Freshmart 115-113, close competitive fight, he looked the stronger fighter, like a bull, banged to the body, his shots were more eye catching but Zarate was a tidy switch hitter, moves well , didn't have the strength or power to trouble Freshmart but he was tough and did get more aggressive later on but Freshmart just about edged it on my card, few pick 'em rounds , Freshmart had a few lulls

[Ruthless-RKO]

Thammanoon Niyomtrong, aka Knockout CP Freshmart, wins vacant title

Thammanoon Niyomtrong is now a two-division world champion after picking up the suddenly vacant WBC junior flyweight title Thursday in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Thai veteran Niyomtrong, who boxes under the ring name Knockout CP Freshmart, defeated late-replacement opponent Junior Leandro Zarate by unanimous decision at Imperial Queens Park Hotel in a fight in which five judges scored the bout instead of the traditional three.

Four judges had it 116-112, while the fifth had it 117-111 – all for Niyomtrong, who improved to 29-1 (11 KOs) with the victory.

The fight, which punctuated the 2025 WBC Convention, was originally scheduled to match Carlos Canizales, who until a few days ago was the 108lbs belt holder, against Niyomtrong, a long-time former WBA strawweight titlist from Surin. Those plans were nixed last week when Canizales, a native of Caracas, Venezuela, was unable to leave his home country due to escalating political tensions between Venezuela and the United States, which imposed a no-fly zone over Venezuela’s skies.

Unable to make it to Thailand, Canizales was designated a “champion in recess,” which means Canizales would be able to fight for the full title again in the future.

The 35-year-old Niyomtrong pressed the action from the bell, forcing the taller Zarate to fight more than he was comfortable with, chopping away with body punches and clubbing power shots upstairs.

The win is the fourth straight for Niyomtrong, who lost his title just over a year ago when he was stopped in seven rounds by Oscar Collazo in a 108lbs title unification in Saudi Arabia.

Zarate, 36, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, dropped to 26-6 (9 KOs), snapping a two-fight winning streak.