(Montreal) When you talk to a boxing promoter, all the fights of his proteges are important. But when a major belt is at stake, like the Silver title of the World Boxing Council (WBC), which Arslanbek Makhmudov and Carlos Takam will dispute on Friday, we feel the nervousness go up a notch.
Posted at 2:29 p.m.
“It’s Major with a capital M,” said the founder of Eye of the Tiger Management, Camille Estephan, on the sidelines of the official weigh-in of the event planned at the Casino de Montreal. The WBC Silver belt is a top-3; it practically guarantees us a world title fight in 2023 for Arslanbek. It is enormous. »
Makhmudov (14-0, 14 KOs) will also put his North American Boxing Association (NABA) and North American Boxing Federation (NABF) titles on the line against Takam (39-6-1, 28 KOs). .-O.).
Experienced, Takam has faced several big names in the division. He wants to be what English speakers call a “gatekeeper”: a gatekeeper, a goalkeeper who must be overcome before hoping to reach the heights.
“It’s a bit the same path that our first boxer, Bermane Stiverne, took, noted Estephan. Winning the WBC Silver belt had allowed him to become world champion (against Anthony Joshua). We just hope that Arslanbek can keep a possible title longer. »
With David Lemieux now retired, a victory for Makhmudov is all the more important as he is now the engine of the organization.
“(The super middleweight) Christian Mbili and him are our future. We have to win (Friday), admitted Estephan. Both are in very difficult, but very, very profitable divisions. We made this choice to fight in these divisions, because we want very big fights at 168 pounds and in the heavyweights, the two hottest divisions these days. We are well represented in both.
“Against Takam, he’s a guy who has seen something else. It makes me a little nervous, ”he conceded.
For a second consecutive week, EOTTM has a heavyweight of French origin as the headliner. After the scandal caused by Newfel Ouatah, who refused to fight on the pretext of a lack of support from the French Boxing Federation (FFB), Estephan is not afraid to see his final fight threatened.
“He has a permit (from the Athletic Commission) of Nevada, joked the big boss of Eye of the Tiger, speaking of Carlos Takam, a French boxer of Cameroonian origin now established in Las Vegas. But certainly it crossed my mind. »
Ouatah claimed that the FFB abandoned him in the final hours before his fight against Simon Kean. However, the national federation had warned him by email on August 23 that as he had lost by K. -O. in his previous fight, he was suspended and could not get permission from the FFB to fight in Canada.
“The truth is, he didn’t want to fight. It’s yellow what he did, Estephan said earlier this week. But that’s in the past and we’re turning the page. »
The FFB has decided to launch an investigation which should lead to sanctions against Ouatah.
“The biggest penalty is that no promoter will want to hire him anymore,” concluded Estephan.
Estephan wants to see Spencer against Dicaire
Speaking of big fights, Estephan was quick to sell a potential matchup between Mary Spencer and International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-welterweight champion Marie-Eve Dicaire.
“We are going to work on it; the belt we want to have, said Estephan. I would really like Marie-Ève to take on this challenge. Supporters demand it. Marie-Ève has done a lot for women’s boxing. She has a good reputation. It should not be spoiled by refusing the fight against Mary Spencer. […] We have already made representations to the IBF. »
On the side of Groupe Yvon Michel, we did not want to comment on Thursday.
In the past, the Dicaire clan (18-1, 1 KO) said that Spencer (7-0, 5 KO) needed to prove herself in the pros before she aspired to a fight of World Championship.
The Spencer clan is of the opinion that these proofs have been made. Her No. 1 contender for the IBF Super Welterweight title tends to prove her right.
One thing is certain, however, on the GYM side: the October 6 gala scheduled for the Casino de Montréal has been postponed.
“Mathieu Germain was supposed to make our final, but he is struggling with the long COVID-19. He tried to resume training, but had no energy, Yvon Michel, president of GYM, said by text message. About two weeks ago, his team concluded that October 6 was a waste of time.
“We then notified the RACJ and the Casino and took the decision to postpone this gala to March, which was free in our calendar,” he said.
Michel declined to discuss his plans for the fall on Thursday, wishing to leave the front stage to EOTTM.
“We want to miss Friday’s fight and we will announce our plans early next week,” he said.