Ivan Cano

Iván Cano García, known as “Macanón”, was a Mexican lightweight and super-lightweight whose professional career ran from 2007 to 2022. Born on 3 December 1987 in Tlalnepantla, Mexico, he later fought out of Mexico City. An orthodox boxer standing 5ft 7in, Cano completed 39 professional contests, winning 26, losing 11 and drawing two, with 16 victories inside the distance.

Cano’s professional debut came at the Arena Coliseo in Mexico City on 10 February 2007, when he stopped fellow debutant Eric Malagon in the opening round. Any suggestion that he was carefully protected is dispelled by his second contest. José Luis Lopez, who already had ten professional bouts behind him, dropped Cano twice and defeated him in April 2007. Cano rebuilt with four victories before suffering another reverse against Mario Cuevas Hernandez in June 2008, going down in the first round.

The early defeats did not prevent Cano from establishing himself on the busy Mexican circuit. Between 2009 and 2011, he appeared regularly in Mexico City, Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Querétaro, Tampico, Atlixco and Oaxaca. His opposition ranged from novices to experienced journeymen, and his record advanced without ever acquiring the spotless appearance often attached to a heavily managed prospect. A points loss to Mario Hermosillo in February 2011 was followed by three victories, including decisions over José Juan Mendiola and Daniel Armando Valenzuela.

Cano’s first important success came against the unbeaten Mauricio Pintor at the Auditorio Plaza Condesa in Mexico City on 18 May 2012. The vacant WBC Youth super-lightweight title was at stake. Cano put Pintor down in the first round and won a unanimous ten-round decision, despite losing one point for a head-butt in both the fifth and ninth rounds. Pintor was penalised in the third for hitting on the break. The victory took Cano’s record to 21-4 and earned him an overseas assignment against Dierry Jean, an unbeaten Canadian-based contender.

That contest, held at the Holiday Inn in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, on 26 October 2012, was for Jean’s NABF super-lightweight title and the vacant NABA championship. Cano travelled with ambition but was meeting a quicker and more polished opponent. Jean dictated the exchanges, repeatedly beating the Mexican to the punch before stopping him in the 11th round. It was Cano’s first defeat inside the distance. He returned to Mexico and won his next contest, but a points defeat by José Daniel Ruiz Lauren in May 2013 confirmed that he remained a capable contender rather than a commanding figure in the division.

Cano’s strongest sustained period came in 2013 and 2014. He recovered from the Ruiz defeat by beating Salvador Carreon, then challenged Javier Prieto for the WBC Silver lightweight title at Arena Quequi in Playa del Carmen on 10 May 2014. After 12 rounds, the judges returned a draw. A rematch was arranged at the Hotel Gran Riviera Princess in the same city on 27 September, and again neither man could obtain the decision. The two draws were frustrating for Cano, but they also established him as a credible lightweight challenger. A subsequent victory over John Carlo Aparicio helped secure the only fully recognised world-title opportunity of his career.

On 10 October 2015 Cano challenged Jorge Linares for the WBC lightweight championship at the Poliedro de Caracas in Venezuela. Linares was a three-weight champion making the second defence of the title and was appreciably faster in hand and foot. Cano attempted to advance behind his jab and landed occasional right hands, but he could not unsettle the champion. Linares found the body with increasing accuracy and dropped him with a left hook in the third round. Cano survived, only to be put down by another left hook to the body 58 seconds into the fourth. He was counted out, suffering the second stoppage defeat of his career.

Cano boxed seven more times after the Linares challenge. He defeated Carlos Mario Sanchez and José Luis Aguilar, but lost to Diego Cruz, Ricardo Gutierrez and the unbeaten Jovanie Santiago, the last of those ending in a technical decision after seven rounds. Following more than two years away, Cano returned in December 2021 and stopped Oscar Arenas Maya after the first round. His final appearance came against the unbeaten Jousce Gonzalez at the Commerce Casino in California on 17 December 2022. Cano remained competitive for ten rounds, but Gonzalez received the unanimous decision. An accidental clash of heads cut Gonzalez over the left eye in the seventh.

Cano was a determined pressure fighter with respectable power, physical strength and a willingness to pursue opponents. Sixteen stoppages in 26 victories demonstrate that he could punch, although his best results generally came through persistence rather than exceptional speed or refinement. His defence could be exposed by quicker boxers, and his aggressive approach occasionally resulted in disciplinary problems, as shown by the two head-butt deductions against Pintor. He nevertheless remained useful across lightweight and super-lightweight for 15 years, won a WBC Youth title, twice contested the WBC Silver championship and challenged for the full WBC lightweight crown.