Alex Winwood Asserts his Dominance in the Division, Confirms WBC Title Eliminator in June

 

'I'm the man in the division': Alex Winwood confirms June WBC title eliminator

Jarred Cross -April 10, 2024

Alex Winwood will fight Joey Canoy in a WBC straw weight world title eliminator in Sydney on June 12.

Noongar boxer Alex Winwood says he is the man in-waiting for the WBC world straw weight title ahead of a chance to secure his shot at the belt in two months’ time.

In November, the WBC mandated a 'final eliminator' between Winwood and Mexican fighter Luis Castillo for Yudai Shigeoka's title in 2024 after the Aussie climbed his way up the ratings in an undefeated 12-month start to his professional career.

In the time since, negotiations broke down and the belt changed hands to the Philippines' Melvin Jerusalem.

On Tuesday, Stan Sport, GEED UP and Green Machine Boxing, the promotion company of former world champ and fellow Western Australian Danny Green, announced Winwood's next step towards meeting Jerusalem in the ring.

At Sydney's Hordern Pavillion on June 12, Winwood (WBC no.2 rated) will fight Joey Canoy (no.3 rated) in an eliminator for future shot at it and add to his international title.

The pair face off at the top of the card alongside former UFC star Tyson Pedro's return to fighting and professional boxing debut against Australian heavyweight champion Kris Terzievski

Speaking at the announcement on Tuesday, Winwood was less than overawed by the prospect to going head-to-head with a comparative veteran in Canoy.

The Filipino boasts a 20-5-2 record and holds a unanimous-decision win over Jerusalem from 2017.

"I understand that he's no slouch and I'm the underdog…. Everything's in his favour and the only thing that's in my corner is my belief," Winwood said at the announcement on Tuesday.

Winwood said "I don't want to take any soft opponents and have 25 wins before I start to challenge the top" and wants to "do something that's out there out of the ordinary become extraordinary".

With a 4-0 record and zero-ing on his plans to be the fastest Australian boxer to claim a world title, that belief is big.

"I believe I'm the man and the division and I just have to get the results to prove that" Winwood told National Indigenous Times.

In a video played on Tuesday, WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán said Winwood is a "great story".

"Definitely if he beats Canoy, this is a great opportunity to challenge for the world title in the immediate future," Sulaimán said.

Both Winwood and manager Tony Tolj thanked him for the opportunity; one they are keen to make good on.

Tolj told National Indigenous Times Winwood is "creating history".

"Alex is a special talent. He's a generational fighter, and it's just an honour to work with someone that puts in the effort that matches the talent that he has," he said.

"He's got the mix of the two, which separates him from the rest, and he can be an all-time great in Australian boxing history."

While having to keep tight-lipped on the task in front of him, Winwood expects the news to speak back home west pretty quickly.

"I'm pretty sure the mobs gonna be behind me like I always have been," he said.