Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse | In the mouth of the wolf (or the T-Rex)

The boxing world was taken by surprise by the announcement of a championship fight between Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse and Claressa Shields. Many believe that the Quebecer is going into the lion’s den. Or, to be more precise, into the mouth of the T-Rex, the nickname of her American opponent.

Oddsmakers give Lepage-Joanisse a slim chance of victory in this fight that will take place on July 27 in Detroit. The renowned BoxRec platform also expects an uneven duel. To quantify the quality of fights, it uses a five-star rating system. This one only gets one, the worst possible ranking.

These pessimistic predictions are not a disavowal of Lepage-Joanisse, but rather an acknowledgement of Shields’ talent. The American is recognized as one of the best, if not the best, female boxers in history.

She has won all her professional fights. In 78 amateur fights, she has only lost once, in addition to winning Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016.

In 2021, Shields had completely outclassed Marie-Ève ​​Dicaire, who was far from being a Sunday boxer. Dicaire had been unable to win a single round against her opponent, losing her IBF world champion belt.

On the other side of the spectrum, Lepage-Joanisse has only eight professional fights, and only four since 2023. Despite her limited experience, her clan remains convinced that she has a chance.

“If we always relied on betting sites and the opinions of fans, we would never organize a fight,” said its promoter, Camille Estephan, in an interview with The Press.

Given Shields’ large fan base, the fight represents a chance to increase her profile, said the woman known as Vany.

” [D’accepter ce combat]it is not to throw myself into the lion’s den, quite the contrary. No matter the result, I can only be a winner,” she resolves.

“Claressa Shields is the most popular female boxer in the world. People want to steal her fans,” admits her promoter Camille Estephan. “When you have an opportunity to fight at the top of the mountain, you don’t say no,” he adds.

Winning in defeat

Former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Patrick Côté understands this maxim perfectly. He has experienced the situation Lepage-Joanisse finds himself in to the power of 10.

In 2004, Côté was looking to fight for the first time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He had seven professional victories at the time, like Lepage-Joanisse.

Then, a call came to change his life. He was offered a fight against the legend Tito Ortiz. A former champion who already had 13 fights in the UFC. Who had signed epic duels against two of the best fighters in the history of the sport, Randy Couture and Chuck Lidell. His childhood hero, in honor of whom he had named his dog Tito.

The offer seemed risky. But worse: Côté had only four days to prepare. He was offered the fight because Ortiz’s designated opponent, Guy Mezger, had just suffered a last-minute injury.

He therefore had two options: agree to fight almost without preparation, against an opponent who was more experienced and more talented than him, or eat his crusts, learn the ropes for years, and hope to come across another opportunity like that.

Côté decided to go for it. “Everyone told me it was professional suicide,” recalls the man nicknamed the Predator, in an interview with The Press.

The Quebecer ultimately lost by unanimous decision. But that day, he made a name for himself. Twenty years later, his fight against Ortiz remains one of the most talked about. “It’s the best thing that ever happened to me,” he sums up.

“Yes, I came out of it battered. But wounds heal. The gratitude, the pride you feel, they remain forever.”

So you will have understood that in Lepage-Joanisse’s place, Côté would have made the same decision. “No matter what happens, people will remember her audacity, her courage and perhaps even the extraordinary victory with which she will emerge,” analyzes Côté.

“It’s this type of fighting that defines champions. It’s not their belts, but their ability to go through the trials, keeping their heads held high.”

Power and focus

Unlike Côté, Lepage-Joanisse is banking on an undeniable advantage: time. While he only had four days to prepare, she will be able to count on a full training camp. The early childhood educator (CPE) was granted a month and a half off to devote herself to training.

Before her other fights, she had to work in Mont-Laurier, then travel the 134 kilometres to her boxing gym in Buckingham every day. The back-and-forths were detrimental to her recovery.

Another advantage in Lepage-Joanisse’s favor: weight. Her opponent, Claressa Shields, moves up two categories to face her. She has never faced such strong strikes in her career, warns Camille Estephan.

“The X factor is clearly Shields’ reaction to Vanessa’s power,” he sums up.

“She has often faced opponents who relied on counterattacks, who let her maneuver in the ring,” Lepage-Joanisse analyzes. “I can’t wait to see how she will react to me. If her game plan doesn’t work, will she panic a little?”

Subscribed to adversity

Surprisingly, Vany believes that the fact that the fight is being held in Detroit, Shields’ backyard, is another advantage in her favor. In her last fight, the one that won her the WBC title, Lepage-Joanisse admits to getting carried away by the Montreal crowd.

“You recognize voices in the room, you let yourself be influenced by what people say. It affected me,” she says.

After going through hell on a personal level, it will take more than just a hostile crowd to scare Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. The boxer was on hiatus for six years, between 2017 and 2023, to overcome her personal demons. Car accident, work stoppage, massive weight gain: she almost stopped boxing.

Less than two years after deciding to hang on, Vany will have the chance to face one of the greatest boxers in history. A chance that she fully appreciates.

“When you hit rock bottom and life smiles on you, all you have to do is enjoy the moment,” she concludes.

Read “The Lesson of Second Chances”