The French-speaking middleweight belt of the World Boxing Council (WBC) is a minor belt. But for Steven Butler and Patrice Volny, it could act as the most powerful springboard in the world rankings on Thursday, at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal.
Butler (34-4-1, 28 KOs) and Volny (18-1, 12 KOs) both want to return to the top-15 middleweight ranks. This local fight with very global repercussions could be exactly what the two pugilists need.
“It’s fun! This means that Quebec boxing is healthy. They are local boxers, but it is an international fight, argued Butler, who will have a third fight under the aegis of John Scully. Volny and I belong to the world elite. We have been ranked worldwide. It’s good that two boxers from here can advance their careers by rubbing against each other. »
“It will be a way to return to the top 10 or the top -15, for his part indicated Volny, stripped of his belts from the North American Boxing Association (NABA) and North American Boxing Organization (NABO) for lack of resources. activity during the pandemic. I didn’t fall out of the world rankings due to defeats, but due to COVID. It’s the same issue for Steven too: the winner will move up in the rankings. »
For the general director of Eye of the Tiger Management (EOTTM), Antonin Décarie, this fight is causing so much talk precisely because of this dichotomy.
“It’s a fight with an international flavor, but also a local one,” he underlined. They are also two guys who have everything to lose, but also everything to gain. Boxing, as we know, is a thankless sport. We saw this with Steve Rolls [le dernier adversaire de Butler] : Steven put everything on the canvas in this fight. Fortunately, it ended well. »
Volny, however, refuses to speak of a “last chance fight”.
” Never ! There is no last chance exit. I have only one defeat, which occurred due to a headbutt. I don’t agree with this decision, but I accept it.
“I never talked about this could be my last fight. I was never shaken, dominated or softened, added the 34-year-old boxer, six years older than Butler. No matter how old I started or am today, there is no reason to believe that this could be my last fight on Thursday, especially since I will walk out of here with a victory. »
The first blows already given
EOTTM had not yet officially launched the activities surrounding its Thursday gala when it had already suffered two hard blows, namely the cancellation of the fights involving Mary Spencer and Laïla Beaudoin.
Spencer (8-2, 6 KOs) was to face Englishwoman April Hunter (7-1) for the World Boxing Association (WBA) super-middleweight Gold belt. The Newcastle boxer, however, injured her elbow during her last training session and the doctor from the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux ruled that she was unfit to enter the ring.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Mary Spencer was due to face England’s April Hunter for the World Boxing Association (WBA) Gold belt
Beaudoin (11-1, 1 KO) was supposed to face Argentina’s Lizbeth Crespo (15-7, 4 KOs), but the lightweight was unable to obtain a visa in time to enter Canada.
“It surprises me that I don’t have more gray hair,” Décarie told the journalists gathered there.
“I try to keep smiling,” he continued more seriously at a press briefing. I’d be lying to you if I told you I wasn’t disappointed. The truth is that fortunately we had a map with a lot of depth. […] We open the card with guys who have records of 11-0 and 20-3. It will be very spicy. I am especially disappointed for the girls who have just experienced training camp. »
The promoter had no choice but to cut these two fights from his gala. It will still feature six fights, including a world championship.
In addition to the final between Butler and Volny, Osleys Iglesias (10-0, 9 KOs) will try to defend his International Boxing Organization (IBO) super middleweight world title against the American of Ukrainian origin Evgeny Shvedenko (16-1-1, 7 KOs).
Arthur Biyarslanov (14-0, 12 KOs) Elias Mauricio Haedo (14-5, 10 KOs) will try to get their hands on the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) belt. super-light.
Shamil Khataev, John Orobio and Luis Santana will also be in action. The first bell will ring at around 7 p.m. The gala can be followed on PunchingGrace.com and ESPN+ in the United States.