Ranee Ganoy gets his best ever chance to prove himself the next Manny Pacquiao when he faces former IBF world lightweight champion Julio Diaz on April 18 in Dubai.
That?s the opinion of Aussie great Jeff Fenech, the former three-time world champ who says Ganoy has the power to KO any boxer in the world.
Ganoy (24-10-2, 20 KOs) was born and raised in the South Cotabato region of the Philippines in the early 1980s and he struggled in the early part of his pro career before basing himself in Australia under the guidance of promoter Angelo Di Carlo.
“Ranee is the best puncher I?ve ever seen and with Angelo backing him the opportunities are really opening up,?? Fenech said.
“The guy has the punch to KO anyone in the world and he just needs a few improvements in his technique and he will be a major force in world boxing.
“Give him a year and a fight with Pacquiao would be a thriller.??
For much of his early career in the Philippines, Ganoy fought without proper management and took fights on short notice for quick money.
He lost to Manny Pacquiao?s brother Bobby Pacquiao, who is now a highly ranked super-featherweight and suffered defeats in Japan and Thailand.
One of his conquerors, Thailand?s Somchai Nakbalee, was crushed in a rematch last November in Brisbane in Ganoy?s last fight.
But late in 2004, Ganoy was given a lifeline by the Bohol brothers – Hermie, Jeffrey and Dido Bohol, Filipino-born trainers who had found a new home in Australia and were looking to recruit Filipino talent.
Ganoy started his new life with a bang, crushing Sydney?s former amateur star Jungstar Min in just 23 seconds in a fight Ganoy was expected to lose.
The “KO Kid” was then overmatched, losing to undefeated Lightweight Ben Cruz and then to the much bigger Olympian and world title challenger Naoufel Ben Rabah.
But then Ganoy’s career began to really take off. He caused big upsets against well credentialed Aussies Mick Shaw and Allan Luxford.
This led Ganoy to a showdown with Michael Katsidis, who has since won the WBO Interim Lightweight title.
The Katsidis bout, was an all-out war as all Ganoy fights are. Ganoy was knocked down with a hard shot in round two but he showed his heart and courage to power on.
Katsidis won the bout with what many said was a premature fifth round stoppage.
But it was evident that Katsidis and Ganoy were destined for much bigger honours and maybe one day will meet again in a dream world title bout.
Ganoy had to restart again from yet another setback in his career but he did it in style.
Taking contests as high as the welterweight division, he started knocking out Australian champions and regional contenders at will.
His war with Nigerian-born former Commonwealth junior-welterweight champ Fatai Onikeke is widely recognized as the 2006 Australian Fight Of The Year. Onikeke was hurt numerous times but kept on keeping on and dished punishment back onto Ganoy.
Ganoy won the brutal contest with a seventh round stoppage.
The Onikeke contest sent Ganoy into a career defining matchup in early 2007 with former IBF super-featherweight world champ, Aussie Robbie Peden.
All those early bouts in his career Ganoy had taken in higher weight classes, gave him excellent experience for this career defining fight. After some tight early rounds, Ganoy gained control, knocking Peden down in round seven and the fight was finally stopped in the following round when Peden couldn’t take any more punishment.
This win propelled Ganoy into the top 15 lightweight rankings with the IBF, as the fight was an IBF Pan-Pacific Regional Title fight.
The match opened great doors for Ganoy as far as management was concerned. The Peden fight was promoted by Ace Boxing Promotions in Queensland, headed by Angelo Di Carlo, whose son Nathan is hoping to represent Australia at the Beijing Olympics.
Angelo became Ganoy’s manager and for the first time Ganoy had his management under control.
No more short notice fights. No more unnecessary risks.
Ganoy has since avenged the loss to Nakbalee and is now in preparation for the biggest contest of his career against Julio Diaz, another hard-hitter from Mexico.
The Filipino slugger has been receiving training assistance from Aussie legend Fenech.
The Diaz fight is on the same card as Aussie flyweight Hussein Hussein?s challenge against Filipino IBF champ Nonito Donaire.
Should Ganoy come through this, a world title bout beckons with the likes of a Juan Diaz, Katsidis or even Manny Pacquiao.
The “KO Kid” is really going places.
