BoxRec

Daiya Kira-Carlos Canizales set for WBA 108-pound title on Sept. 2

Fast-rising contender Daiya Kira and veteran former champion Carlos Canizales will contest the vacant WBA junior flyweight title on September 2.

The encounter pitting youth against experience will take place at Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan.

Kira, the WBA's mandatory challenger, had been in line to face WBA and WBO titleholder Rene Santiago before the Puerto Rican injured his elbow and was unable to compete.

"I really wanted to fight Santiago and unify the two world titles," Kira (4-0, 3 KOs) told The Ring.

"Unfortunately, that fight couldn't happen because of his elbow injury. However, Canizales is also a well-known fighter in Japan and I believe our styles match up perfectly, so I'm confident it will be an exciting fight for the fans. I will defeat Canizales and become the WBA world champion."

Canizales (28-3-1, 20 KOs), The Ring's No. 3 junior flyweight, has previously held the WBA and WBC 108-pound titles.

Three-division champion Kenshiro Teraji features among his resume, while most recently avenging a 12-round majority decision to score a fifth-round stoppage of Panya Pradabsri in their two-fight series.

Santiago remains WBO champion but has now been downgraded to WBA interim beltholder while healing from injury, owning the right to face the winner in their first defense.

Elsewhere on the same bill, Takeshi Ishii (11-1, 8 KOs) and former strawweight titlist Wilfredo Mendez (20-3-2, 6 KOs) will face off for the vacant WBA 'regular' strawweight crown.

On the undercard, Ryuto Owan (15-2, 10 KOs) and Kazuki Nakajima (19-2-1, 16 KOs) will fight for a vacant regional featherweight belt.

Nakajimi has previously held regional titles at bantamweight and junior featherweight, so will be bidding to secure a rare treble.

After an impressive debut in early June, the hugely talented lightweight Yuga Fujiki (1-0, 1 KO) is also scheduled to see action against Jufel Salina (11-7-1, 8 KOs).

Next week

Guys, keep an eye on Japanese junior flyweight Daiya Kira, who faces Carlos Canizalez for the vacant WBA title this weekend. The kid is only 4-0, but he's a serious bad ass.

He's got the GGG downward left hook happening, the speed, the combos... and the body work!

Fight week!

KIRA READY FOR CANIZALES TITLE CLASH IN JUST FIFTH FIGHT

Rising junior flyweight Daiya Kira has moved quickly since his debut in June 2024.

The 23-year-old easily stopped Ivan Balderas in two rounds in his last fight on December 31. That win earned him a shot at the WBA and WBO champion Rene Santiago.

However, after the champion injured his elbow, in stepped former two-time 108-pound champion Carlos Canizales. The two will contest the vacant WBA title on Wednesday at Yokohama Buntai, Yokohama, Japan.

"Facing Rene Santiago was a huge motivation for me, but my main goal has always been to win a world title, so the change of opponent doesn't make a big difference," Kira (4-0, 3 KOs) told The Ring.

"Carlos Canizales is the kind of fighter who can bring out an exciting style of boxing, so I'm really looking forward to this fight.

"I believe Canizales is a very well-rounded fighter. He has power, throws punches in combination with great intensity, is durable, and has excellent ring generalship to win rounds. Overall, I think he's a high-level opponent."

While fighting for a world title so soon in just Kira's fifth fight seems a leap it is something the fighter and his handlers have longed for.

"I have always believed that winning a world title is just the beginning of my journey," he said. "Also, when the opportunity came, I genuinely felt it was a realistic chance that I could achieve."

His promoter Yusuke Ninomiya was keen to further explain.

"I recognized Kira's exceptional talent even before he made his professional debut," he said. "I also felt that it was important for him to showcase that talent on the biggest stage as early as possible.

"Our goal was for him to become the fastest Japanese fighter to win a world title. I initially believed he could challenge for that record in his fourth professional fight, but due to the timing, the opportunity will now come in his fifth fight. If he wins the world title in his fifth professional bout, he will equal the remarkable achievement of Kosei Tanaka.

"For Kira, however, this fight is only a stepping stone. The real challenge will begin after he becomes a world champion."

It is clear Kira has lofty goals and they extend beyond winning a world title.

"My ultimate goal is to become a fighter recognized on the pound-for-pound list," he said. "I believe that becoming a pound-for-pound fighter will require more than just winning world titles.

"While I aim to unify multiple world titles and become a champion in multiple weight classes, I believe the most important thing is to defeat well-known, proven elite fighters. I feel that consistently beating top-level opponents is what will ultimately earn me recognition as one of the best fighters in the world."

Canizales (28-3-1, 20 KOs), who is rated No. 4 by The Ring at junior flyweight, has previously held the WBA and WBC 108-pound titles.

Three-division champion Kenshiro Teraji features among his resume, while most recently avenging a 12-round majority decision to score a fifth-round stoppage of Panya Pradabsri in their two-fight series.

Ohashi Promotions presenting world championship doubleheader in Yokohama

This Wednesday, September 2, a world championship twinbill will be presented by Ohashi Promotions at the Yokohama Buntai Arena in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan, featuring WBA No. 2-ranked Takeshi Ishii and former WBO champion and WBA No. 3-ranked Wilfredo Mendez clashing for the vacant WBA 'regular' minimumweight title, while WBA No. 1-ranked Daiya Kira will face No. 2-ranked Carlos Canizales for the vacant WBA light flyweight championship.

Hometown Yokohama fighter Ishii, 11-1 (8 KOs), and “Bimbito” Mendez, 20-3-2 (6 KOs), of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, will meet for the title left vacant after previous champion, Ryusei Matsumoto, relinquished the belt in June.

Kira, 4-0 (3 KOs) of Tokyo and Canizales, 28-3-1 (26 KOs), of Caracas, Venezuela, will meet for the belt left vacant after light flyweight champion René Santiago was designated as a "Champion in Recess" due to an elbow injury in late July.

The winner of Ishii vs. Mendoza could possibly be quickly elevated to “full” world champion, as the division's Super champion, Oscar Collazo, will move up two weight classes to challenge WBA and WBC flyweight champion Ricardo Sandoval on October 10.

Fighting in just his fifth professional bout, with a win, Kira will be looking to tie the national record of fewest fights to a world championship set by kickboxer turned boxer Koei Tanaka, who won the WBO minimumweight championship in 2015 in his fifth contest as a professional.

CANIZALES CERTAIN HE'LL HAVE TOO MUCH FOR INEXPERIENCED KIRA

Former two-time junior flyweight titleholder Carlos Canizales was only too happy to step into the breach when WBA and WBO ruler Rene Santiago was injured and unable to face Daiya Kira.

Canizales, who is rated No. 4 by The Ring at 108 pounds, and Kira will meet for the vacant WBA title on Wednesday at Yokohama Buntai, Yokohama, Japan.

"It's a great opportunity to fight for the WBA title, and in Japan, these are the challenges I like," Canizales (28-3-1, 20 KOs) told The Ring.

"Kira is a young fighter, who is hungry to be a world champion. In Carlos Canizales, you have an opponent who has had his best performances in Asia, and it will be a difficult task for Kira. I have everything I need to become champion again."

The 33-year-old Venezuelan believes one key factor will be his vast experience.

"I think I've faced better opponents than Kira," he said. "I'm not underestimating him or anything, he's a guy who has four fights, he's strong and he's dangerous, but the opposition I've had before works in my favor for this fight."

His long-time trainer Nicolas Hernandez admits to not knowing much about Kira but is doing everything to bring out the best in his own fighter.

"I can tell you that we are training just as hard — if not harder — than we did for previous championship fights," said Hernandez. "We enjoy fighting in Japan; it's a country rich in culture and challenges, because when you're there, you have to prove what you're made of, and that's what we are looking for."

Last August, Canizales impressively claimed the WBC junior flyweight title by knocking out Panya Pradabsri in five rounds in their rematch but was unable to defend his crown due to the ongoing issues in his homeland and was ultimately removed as champion.

"After I won my title, everything was going well, then they give me the opportunity to defend my title [in Bangkok against Thammanoon Niyomtrong on December 4,] I start my strong training and my dedicated preparation for my fight," he said. "I go to the airport for the first time the day I had to travel, they tell me that the flights are down.

"The next day I went again; at that time there were many problems with the government in my country. Well, I go with my team the next day and they tell me that I won't be able to travel [because of the] political situation in my country.

"I had to resign myself to not being able to fight after I have so much sacrifice and dedication. They strip me of my title without the opportunity to give me a new date and to defend my title fight. Thank God and the WBA we are back to this great opportunity of world title of this organization where I have already been world champion before and we are preparing for my fight [on] September 2 and to achieve the victory."

Canizales appreciates that he is in the later stages of his career and is using that and the turmoil in his country to help motivate him to become a three-time world champion.

"I have to make the most of it — especially since Venezuela doesn't have a world champion right now and needs one," he said. "I'm hungry and I'm putting my faith in God and in the people who believe in me to make history in Japan."

Kira (4-0, 3 KOs) was an amateur standout before embarking on a professional career in June 2024.

The 23-year-old has moved quickly and beat Jackson Zapata (UD 8) in his third bout before blitzing Ivan Balderas (KO 2) in a WBA eliminator on December 31.

Date: September 2, 2026
Location: BUNTAI Yokohama - Kanagawa, Japan
TV/Stream: Lemino (Japan)
Start Time: 3 pm (local) | 7 am BST | 2 am ET

Fight Card

WBA Light Flyweight Championship
Daiya Kira (4-0, 3 KOs) vs. Carlos Canizales (28-3-1, 20 KOs)

WBA “Regular” Minimumweight Championship
Takeshi Ishii (11-1, 8 KOs) vs. Wilfredo Mendez (20-3-2, 6 KOs)

10 Round Minimumweight Bout
Katsuki Mori (14-4-1, 3 KOs) vs. Yoshi Sugiura (9-1-1, 3 KOs)

8 Round Super Featherweight Bout
Junya Shimada (9-1-1, 3 KOs) vs. Sathaporn Saart (18-3, 9 KOs)

8 Round Featherweight Bout
Ren Ohashi (5-0, 5 KOs) vs. Keigo Kitamoto (7-0, 5 KOs)

8 Round Lightweight Bout
Yuga Fujiki (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Jufel Salina (11-7-1, 8 KOs)

Results

Daiya Kira def. Carlos Canizales by KO (R7, 0:38)
Takeshi Ishii def. Wilfredo Mendez by KO (R1, 1:05)
Yuga Fujiki def. Jufel Salina by TKO (R5, 1:24)
Katsuki Mori vs. Yoshi Sugiura – majority draw (96-94, 95-95, 95-95)
Ren Ohashi vs. Keigo Kitamoto – technical draw (Ohashi cut from head clash, R2, 0:28)
Junya Shimada def. Sathaporn Saart by KO (R2, 2:32)

Kira stops Canizales in seven rounds to win WBA 108-pound title

Two years and five fights into his professional career, Daiya Kira delivered a brutal finish to become Japan's latest world champion.

Armed with inspiration both young and old in Kazuto Ioka, Daigo Higa and the Tsutsumi brothers all within his circle, Kira (5-0, 4 KOs) justified the hype and expectation around his growing star with a highlight reel finish.

The pair exchanged body shots in the early going, though Kira was noticeably faster to the punch and tagging the veteran through his high guard during a patient start. Canizales (28-4-1, 20 KOs) upped his urgency in round two but was countered for the privilege, frozen by an overhand right as the younger man clearly found his rhythm.

The Venezuelan climbed off the canvas in the first minute of the third after missing wildly with a right hook and being countered by a left at short-range. Abandoning his defense to throw shots was a dangerous tactic, especially while missing more frequently against a more mobile target, though the 33-year-old relished the challenge.

Kira remained disciplined behind his jab in the fourth as Canizales walked forward, had to stay defensively alert in round five with the visitor throwing more body shots and that theme continued in the sixth as pressure increased.

The former WBC 108-pound champion's trademark tactics were well-intentioned and worked in periods, but ultimately saw him stopped by a thunderous left hook in the seventh.

Kira applied torque and placed his shot perfectly, just as he did four rounds earlier, but this time with more power to blast the 14-year veteran to the canvas in a heap. Canizales beat the count on unsteady legs, referee Raul Caiz Jr swiftly waving it off as he staggered backwards towards the ropes.

Although consternation remains about Rene Santiago's situation, given the unified titleholder was declared 'champion in recess' while recovering from an elbow injury, Kira finds himself at world-level with several options.

WBC champion Shokichi Iwata (17-2, 14 KOs) was among those in attendance midweek and The Ring's No. 1 junior flyweight Santiago (16-4, 9 KOs) will no doubt look to make up for lost time once fully healed.

Ishii ices Mendez in one

You don't get paid for overtime but even Takeshi Ishii appeared surprised, after scoring his fastest stoppage for three years to win the WBA 'regular' strawweight championship. It was all over inside two minutes, Ishi (12-1, 9 KOs) flooring Wilfredo Mendez (20-4-2, 6 KOs) after landing a disguised right hook to the head at close-range.

Having set about his visitor with purpose and speed early, the 29-year-old showed his physical strength and relentlessness moments prior, walking through Mendez's punches before digging a left hand to the body.

That clearly hurt the Puerto Rican, who winced as he doubled over with a delayed reaction.

Having been outmuscled in the clinch and second to connect during brief but fiery exchanges, he remained on one knee and didn't beat referee Jean-Robert Laine's ten count. There was more where that came from. Ishii wheeled away to passionately celebrate on the ring apron, becoming the latest Ohashi Gym product to win world honors.

Much like the WBO confirmed last month, he will likely be elevated to full champion once Ring and unified 105-pound beltholder Oscar Collazo fights two-belt flyweight titleholder Ricardo Sandoval on October 10.

Undercard results

Lightweight: Yuga Fujiki TKO5 Jufel Salina
Strawweight: Katsuki Mori MD10 (95-95, 95-95, 96-94) Yoshi Sugiura
Featherweight: Junya Shimada KO2 Sathaporn Saart
Feather: Ren Ohashi TD2 (accidental headbutt) Keigo Kitamoto

PATIENT, COMPOSED KIRA HAS LOFTY AMBITIONS AFTER WBA TITLE TRIUMPH

Many expected the coronation of one of the sport's best young fighters on Saturday night. Four days later and almost 6,000 miles away, it came through the exceptionally talented Daiya Kira.

Moses Itauma dominated the early action before a shocking, sudden turnaround saw Filip Hrgovic outlast the younger man, scoring a startling ninth-round stoppage for the vacant IBF heavyweight title.
At the opposite end of boxing's various weight divisions, Kira (5-0, 4 KOs) produced a highlight reel seventh-round stoppage of former two-weight world champion Carlos Canizales at the Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan.

"Itauma's loss was something I took into consideration," Kira told The Ring. "It actually made me think even more carefully about controlling the pace of the fight and choosing exactly the right moment to go for the finish."

There was a lot of pressure on his young shoulders, especially entering the world title picture with just four fights and 12 pro rounds under his belt. Instead, the 23-year-old embraced the moment and used it to his advantage.

"Before the fight, I went through my usual routine, accepting the pressure and nerves rather than trying to fight them. That allowed me to stay calm and composed. I didn't feel any extra pressure challenging for a world title so early in my career, approaching it with the same focus and nervous energy I always need to perform at my best."

Kira made an excellent start and unlike Itauma, he didn't let up to close the show in definitive fashion.

"When I dropped him in the third round, I didn't feel that he was seriously hurt, so knew it wasn't the right time to rush for the finish. I stayed patient and controlled myself," he explained. "I could feel the fight moving in a good direction, and ultimately that patience led to the seventh-round finish."

It won't be long before he surveys the landscape and decides on next steps, but for now, enjoyed the moment with his family and team members.
His promoter Yusuke Ninomiya was understandably elated at his young fighter becoming world champion but believes it won't stop there.

"Becoming a world champion is not the finish line — it is the starting point," he said. "Now Daiya can truly begin his journey as a world champion. I believe he has the potential to become a legendary champion and leave his name in boxing history."

Kira reportedly had to lose 4.5kg (9.9 pounds) to make the 108-pound junior flyweight limit and naturally, Ninomiya doesn't believe his charge will remain in the weight class for much longer.

"Nothing has been decided yet regarding his next fight, but I believe the options will be either to have one more junior flyweight fight or move up to flyweight. Making 108 pounds is still possible for Daiya but realistically, I think he probably has only one more fight left at that weight."

A little over two years after his professional debut, Kira has checked the first box en route to becoming a star his talent suggests is inevitable. Now, the Tokyo resident has bigger aims to conquer.

"I haven't decided yet whether I will pursue the other sanctioning body titles or move through multiple weight divisions," he said.

"My ultimate goal is to become of the world's top pound-for-pound fighters and eventually reach the No. 1 spot, so with that in mind, we will carefully consider the next step in my career."

Kira looked good, aggressive, dominated Canizales, banging to the body and up top, he knocked Canizales down in the 3rd with a counter left hook, Canizales had his best round in the 6th but it was a last throw of the dice because in the 7th another hook from Kira had him down again and although he got up his legs were gone