On February 1, a great event will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, when Kazakhstan’s Ruslan Madiyev and Filipino Ali Canega will fight for the WBA Asia welterweight belt at the Suanlum Night Bazar. 

Madiyev is coming off the biggest fight of his career when he defeated Tigran Sogoyan by a 10-round unanimous decision to retain the Asian belt of the pioneering body in the fight that took place in Almaty on September 21. 

For Madiyev the fight was special as he had the belt at stake and it also meant his return home, where he had not fought since 2013 in his debut fight. Since then he moved continent and was making a career in the United States, in addition to making fights in countries like Mexico and Puerto Rico. 

Now he will arrive in Thailand to expose the crown against Canega, a Filipino who has been national champion and has experience fighting in Japan. The Paranaque City native will go into a fight in which his chances look complicated but he knows it is also an opportunity to give another dimension to his career. 

Madiyev has a record of 16 wins, 2 losses and 6 knockouts. Canega has 11 wins, 1 loss, 1 draw and 7 knockouts.