Redemption completed. Barely 50 weeks after her return to competition, Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse became the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight world champion on Thursday evening at the Montreal Casino.
The native of Saint-André-Avellin finally has her belt. In a merciless fight, where she had to endure numerous heavy strikes, Lepage-Joanisse defeated Argentina’s Abril Vidal by split decision.
The suspense lasted until the last second, literally. The host announced the first card: 97-93 in favor of Lepage-Joanisse. Then the second: 96-94 for Vidal. The two boxers had their arms in the air when the host completed: 97-93 for Lepage-Joanisse, who was exultant.
The champion appeared with a swollen face, her nose still bloody, in front of the media some 10 minutes after her victory. On her shoulder rested her pretty green sash.
PHOTO RYAN REMIORZ, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse won by split decision of the judges.
“I will try not to let myself be carried away by emotions…” she said as a tear appeared in the corner of her right eye.
“I have worked so hard for many years. Finally, it pays off. I’m just proud. Really, it’s a lot of journey, a lot of sacrifices. »
I am proud of myself, of my team. Thanks to everyone who has been there since the beginning and to those who added later. This belt isn’t just me, it’s a whole team.
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse
Seven years ago, in August 2017, Lepage-Joanisse entered the ring to try to win this same title; she had been knocked out. by Mexican Alejandra Jiménez, who, it was later learned, was doped. It is, to this day, the only defeat of his career. The Quebecer went through a number of challenges following this setback, including a car accident, depression, considerable weight gain, then significant weight loss.
” The goal [en revenant à la compétition], it was to put my 2017 world championship aside. I didn’t think I’d get here 50 weeks later and put on that belt. It’s a long road, but I’m really proud. »
With this victory, Lepage-Joanisse becomes the first, at Eye of the Tiger Management (EOTTM), since David Lemieux, to win a world championship.
Paid adaptation
Lepage-Joanisse can thank her ability to adapt; This is what allowed him to win this fight.
The two pugilists attacked as soon as the bell sounded. Neither defended themselves, so both were seriously hit in the head. “There are ten rounds! “, even shouted a spectator, inviting the Quebecer to slow down the pace and conserve her strength.
I was trying to get in like a street war. They were big bombs. My coaches told me: “Stop, that’s not what we want, it’s not a street fight. Vanessa, you are capable of boxing well, think about the strategy, your feints.”
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse
After a second round to Vidal’s advantage, Lepage-Joanisse seemed calmer in the third round. More cautious, she defended herself more adequately, while still landing some good combinations. She nevertheless received some good strikes to the face at the end of the round, and blood appeared under her nose.
In the fourth and fifth, Lepage-Joanisse hit his target more. Vidal seemed more disturbed. “Vany!” Vany! Vany! », chanted the spectators before the sixth round, while the doctor asked to examine the Quebecer’s bleeding ear. In the stands, we could notably see an attentive Marie-Pier Houle, who even shouted some advice to her friend.
PHOTO RYAN REMIORZ, THE CANADIAN PRESS
The fight between Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse and Abril Vidal was merciless.
The more the rounds passed, the more Lepage-Joanisse adapted to his opponent. She calculated her attacks more, while trying to counter Vidal’s counterattacks.
“I think I made the adjustments that were necessary for those fights. In training camp, I was put in situations that I could adapt to. I was happy when my coach told me: “We’re going to work more one-twos, we’ll come out again.” I had practiced it, so it was just: perfect, we change strategy, we replace ourselves. Ultimately, it was the touch that made me win this fight with entries and exits.
“In the eighth round, I sat down and I was smiling. I said to myself: OK, I gained the lead. That’s when I felt like I had the upper hand in the fight because I could tell it was close.
“I wasn’t told I had the lead, but my coach knew it was close. He told me: “There are two rounds left, we need power shots with a lot of explosion of the legs, but without leaving the head still.” »
She followed this advice to the letter. And she got the desired result.
Perfect evening for Eye of the Tiger
It was a long, but above all fruitful evening for Eye of the Tiger Management before the final fight between Steven Butler and Steve Rolls. After Joanisse, the German Osleys Iglesias, who had not made the weight the day before, was knocked out. to the Argentinian Marcelo Coceres in the first round.
In the fight preceding that of Joanisse, the Torontonian Arthur Biyarslanov, newly signed by EOTTM, manhandled the Chilean Cristián Palma. The latter was never in the game. Biyarslanov defeated his opponent thanks to a series of hooks to the body at the end of the third round. Result: victory by knockout. technical.
Previously, Luis Santana defeated Floridian Emiliano Garcia by knockout. technical. In the first round, the Montrealer seemed much more convincing than his opponent. In the final seconds, he hit Garcia below the belt; the latter took many minutes to get up, in front of an impatient crowd. It took 1:31 of the second round for Santana to knock his opponent to the ground with a heavy right hook.
Mehmet Unal won his fight against Argentinian Facundo Galovar by unanimous decision (80-72, 80-72 and 79-23). After the first two rounds, which were quite divided, Unal took the lead. Galovar, whose amount of energy seemed to decrease visibly, defended himself less and less well against the Montrealer’s attacks as the rounds progressed. Unal gave many more blows than he received, but his opponent, tenacious to say the least, stood tall until the end.
A little earlier, Montrealer Jhon Orobio was knocked out. technique to his opponent for the sixth time in six professional fights. This time, it was the Argentinian Cristián González who was his victim. Expressive, the latter taunted Orobio during the first round, shaking his head each time the Quebecer hit him. In the second round, affected by the numerous blows, González fell to the ground for the first time before getting up. Orobio started again with powerful blows, forcing the Argentinian to admit defeat.
Wilkens Mathieu, who was the first to enter the ring at around 7 p.m., offered a boxing lesson to the Czech Patrik Fiala. Lesson which ended with a knockout. technique from the second round. Mathieu sent his opponent to the ground with a solid left jab. Fiala got up, but the referee ended the fight within seconds. For the Quebec native, this is an eighth victory in eight fights, and a fifth by knockout.