(Shawinigan) Camille Estephan seemed to have suffered blows to the flanks as the boxers paraded alongside him in the press conference room, early Saturday, at the Center Gervais Auto in Shawinigan.
Even if two of its headliners had won, the promoter of Eye of the Tiger Management (EOTTM) could only see the obvious: the gala had not gone as planned, but then not at all .
Mary Spencer, the one who seemed ready to measure herself against the world elite in 2023, suffered an unequivocal defeat against the Belgian Femke Hermans, who obtained the favor of the three judges to get her hands on the belt of world champion of the IBO Super Welterweight.
Her face swollen by the series of blows she had received during the 10 rounds of the fight, Spencer (7-1) did not flinch when answering questions, ensuring that she had not been surprised by Hermans (14 -4), as “hard” as she anticipated.
“I’m 38 now and life experience is so much more valuable than when I was 22 and losing felt like the end of the world,” she said. I understand now that I have to think about what I did, didn’t do and what I will do better next time. This is absolutely not the result I wanted, I’m angry! At the same time, it’s as if I had a different perspective on life. So I’m going to bring that with me and see how I deal with that loss and come back. »
Even if she did not keep a precise memory of it, the Montrealer admitted to having been “shaken” by the left which sent her to the mat on the second assault, without the referee giving her an account, judging that she had rather slipped.
“There is nothing shameful in saying that. I was shaken and it took me a while to come to my senses. A female boxer can sense that, even though I tried to hide it in the ring and pretend everything was cool. His experience allowed him to note it, I imagine. »
Spencer then philosophized about the notion of defeat: “The truth is, I don’t like to lose. Who likes to lose? At the same time, who goes through life without losing? It’s not a good feeling to think you can’t lose, is it? Because who lives a life like that? »
“I remember my first amateur defeat. It was refreshing because I felt like I shouldn’t lose, I can’t lose and then I lost and it happened early in my career. It shows you something about life and I was a teenager, I had just started boxing. It was an important lesson at the time. Now I know the song, I guess. »
Refusing the excuses, the Ontarian of origin nevertheless revealed not to have felt at her best in the last weeks, fearing to contract the flu which ran at her gym. As for the pressure of being a local gala headliner, she said it didn’t affect her.
Camille Estephan wasn’t so sure. “The magnitude of the event, of the final… things happened so quickly, even she didn’t think we could do it so quickly, noted the president of EOTTM. So I think she got caught. We saw how wild she was in the first round. That’s not the way to win great fights against good opponents. The opportunity was very big and I think she got carried away. It’s my opinion. »
Sitting down at the table, Hermans, her eyes watering, took a few seconds to savor the magnitude of the moment as she claimed the second world title of her career.
The Belgian recalled how difficult it was to develop in a sport that is poorly valued in her country.
“Becoming world champion is incredible, declared the new monarch of the IBO, in tears. In Belgium, it is very very difficult to be a boxer, especially female. I have to work full time. Every time, everyone tells me that I’m not going to win a championship outside of Belgium. But I won in Germany. Now I came here and I won and I will continue. I just want to show that we have talent in Belgium and that a professional boxer is something, and that we can become real athletes. »
Spencer would say yes to a rematch and Estephan reiterated his willingness to support her, but Hermans recalled there was no clause stipulating this in the contract. “We have to keep going and see what happens. »
“Not Honourable”
The heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov (15-0, 14 KOs), he fulfilled his part of the contract by demolishing Michael Wallisch, who put the knee to the mat three times in the first round. The German withdrew before the resumption, apparently injured in a shoulder.
PHOTO VINCENT ETHIER PHOTOGRAPHY, VINCENT ETHIER
Michael Wallisch receives a right from Arslanbek Makhmudov in the first round.
“Honestly, I’m very disappointed because I feel like he didn’t fight,” sighed Estephan. I have to pay it, but I feel like we got screwed. The guy ate a few punches that really hurt him. He thought, “I have no business there.” It’s not honourable. »
Despite winning, Makhmudov blamed himself for getting carried away by his emotions as a blow to the back of the head lost him a point.
“It’s not just the fight, it’s all the work and preparation that goes into it. I was so hungry and emotional that I made a mistake. But he also hit me in the back of the head. »
His trainer Marc Ramsay wanted a bigger challenge than Wallisch could offer. “I was really hoping for more working and opposition rounds. But honestly, he hit it hard quickly. I saw his facial expression right away and the legs let go. I understand that for a boxer, when you can close a file, you close it, there is no chance to take. It’s not in relation to Arslanbek, but I would have liked it to be otherwise. »
Estephan now has the mandate to find a new caliber opponent to his big heavyweight.
Despite his unanimous decision victory over the tough American Joshua Conley, Steven Butler (32-3-1, 26 KOs) was another who showed his disappointment at the conference table.
“He was working well, but I may have worked a little askew, blamed the Montrealer. It’s the kind of victory where I can put tools in my experience chest, but we don’t want victories like that anymore. And not necessarily because we didn’t get the knockout. […] We won, we’ll settle for that, but me and my team, I’m sure, we’re not satisfied with this overall performance. »