It has been a long time since the Bell Center, or even Quebec, will have hosted such an important boxing gala, when no less than three world championship belts as well as a minor title will be in the limelight. stake, Friday.
Artur Beterbiev (16-0, 16 KOs) will first put his immaculate record and his light heavyweight International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Council (WBC) titles at stake against American Marcus Browne (24-1, 16 KOs), who is his mandatory IBF contender. They will jump into the ring just minutes after Marie-Ève Dicaire (17-1) and Mexican Cynthia Lozano (9-0, 7 KOs) try to get their hands on the vacant super-mi title. – IBF averages.
In the undercard, the heavy-light Yan Pellerin (12-1, 5 KOs) will try to get his hands on the vacant title of the North American Boxing Organization (NABO) against the Mexican Francisco Rivas (15-2 , 5 K.-O.).
Beterbiev is coming to this fight as a big favorite. But Browne intends to spoil the party. The one who suffered his only career defeat against Jean Pascal – a knockout. technique entered in the eighth round following an accidental header that opened the left browbone of the 31-year-old American in August 2019 – does not intend to miss the opportunity which is once again offered to him to put hand over a world title.
His trainer, Derrick James, intends to write a page of history with this victory, he who would become the first to lead three unified champions at the same time. James also coaches IBF and WBC welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. as well as IBF, WBC and World Boxing Association super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo.
“Artur Beterbiev is a great champion, but on Friday we change the course of history,” said Browne, who added that he was tired of arguing and was eager to do battle with the champion. .
Which is great, because the Beterbiev clan are also eager to make their first title defense at home.
“If we were enthusiastic about delivering a first defense at home, it’s even more true after the preparation we had,” said Marc Ramsay, Beterbiev’s coach. It’s been a long time since we could do a full training camp in our gym, which we created from scratch to have optimal preparation.
“We know our subject well: (Marcus Browne) is a boxer that I have been following from the amateur levels and that I have already invited to training camps. So I know the’bibitte ‘well with which we are going to box. I know its strengths and weaknesses well. For me, the conclusion of this fight is beyond doubt, ”he said without predicting how the duel will end.
Ramsay and Beterbiev did not, however, fall into complacency.
“It’s never personal, you never prepare for a name,” Ramsay said. We want to offer the best possible performance. It is certain that we must put forward a tactical and strategic game plan according to Browne, but it stops there. Everything else, the level of intensity, is marked by the achievements we want to accomplish and not by a single boxing match. “
Beterbiev pointed out that there were several aspects of Browne to consider, but did not go into detail.
“If I tell you, my opponent will know it too. “
Find “his” belt
For Dicaire, it is a question of finding “his” belt that the American Claressa Shields delighted him, last March. Shields, who had become the unified division champion after the victory, has since ditched those belts in an attempt to become the first in history to be a unified champion in three weight divisions since the advent of the four sanctioning bodies.
“It’s a fight that is very important to me,” said the boxer from St-Eustache. This will remove the word ‘ex’ during presentations. […] This belt is mine, and it will remain in Quebec, ”she added regarding Lozano.
Ranked No. 1 at the IBF, Dicaire will play a sixth world championship. If she were to regain the super-mid-middle belt of the IBF, she would become the third boxer from Quebec only to become champion again after losing the title. The other two are Lou Brouillard (1933) and Jean Pascal (2019).
Lozano, meanwhile, is ranked fifth in the IBF and No. 1 in the World Boxing Association (WBA) at 154 pounds, even though her opponents’ combined record in nine fights is 5-13. Two of the pugilists she faced were also in their first professional steps.
Dicaire, however, does not underestimate her opponent: she knows all too well what she may have felt preparing for her first championship.
“I know all too well how much that motivated me before I got that first chance. I was once the one who had less experience, who was underestimated. I returned to the gym every day with a knife between my teeth. I remember I was dangerous in that state of mind: she could be too. “
“I know Dicaire can be beaten, that’s a big advantage,” she said through an interpreter. She will have to be ready for me. […] I do not intend to miss this great opportunity to bring the title back to Mexico. “
The first of the eight fights of this evening of Groupe Yvon Michel is scheduled for 6.30 p.m.