After missing out on a world title crack two weeks ago, Joey Canoy celebrated his 33rd birthday on Saturday with the news that his promoter JC Mananquil is sending him to South Africa for a crucial fight in September.

Canoy was originally picked to face Puerto Rican two-belt world minimumweight champion Oscar Collazo on 20 June in Oceanside, California.

But issues with his travel documents prompted the cancellation of the fight as he could not leave for the United States to go after Collazo’s World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association 105-pound straps.

Canoy’s next opponent will be Beaven Sibanda of Zimbabwe, who, like himself, is rated in the world’s top ten.

A victory would keep Canoy in the thick of the hunt for a world championship fight while a loss would send his career in disarray.

Fighting in South Africa is not new to Canoy.

A native of General Santos City, Canoy has fought there four times.