Canizales (28-3-1, 20 KO) has long been one of the division’s boogeymen, giving Kenshiro Teraji everything he could handle in a narrow defeat and smashing Pradabsri in their rematch this past August. With Masamichi Yabuki now campaigning full-time at 112, there’s an argument to be made that he’s the man to beat at 108.
Knockout (28-1, 11 KO), full name Thammanoon Niyomtrong, enjoyed the sport’s longest continuous title reign at 105 before suffering a punishing loss to Oscar Collazo in last November’s unification. He’s rehabbed a bit with three wins over cab drivers, the classic chicken soup remedy for ailing Thai champs, but this seems like a last hurrah for the 35 year old. Between significant height and reach disadvantages and Canizales’ punishing style, lasting long enough for the judges to bail him out would be a feat in and of itself.