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.