New setback for Quebec boxing: Kim Clavel and Groupe Yvon Michel were forced to postpone the World Boxing Council (WBC) Light Flyweight Championship against Yesenia Gomez scheduled for Thursday at the Casino de Montreal, since the Montrealer contracted the coronavirus.
Yvon Michel, president of GYM, made the announcement Monday morning, after being informed of the state of health of his boxer late Sunday.
“Kim was on the line with Stephan [Larouche] and Danielle [Bouchard, ses entraîneurs] and I immediately felt that she had the impression of letting us down, said Michel during an interview with The Canadian Press. I wanted to reassure her right away: it’s nobody’s fault. I know that she and her team members were all very careful throughout the preparation. I told her that she takes care of her health. That is the priority. »
Clavel was obviously the victim of an outbreak that affected a few members of his team, including Bouchard, who was affected a few weeks ago and immediately isolated himself from the group.
“She saw it very difficult, underlined Bouchard, joined earlier. […] All we hope is that it won’t be the long COVID, that after ten days, Kim will be in good enough shape to resume her activities. »
The symptoms from which Clavel suffers are quite virulent.
“It’s not jokes. A weakened Kim, in bed, feverish, we do not see that often, explained Bouchard. When I spoke to her [lundi matin], she told me that she would not have been able to train in the afternoon. How could she think she could have done it? But that’s Kim Clavel: she was disappointed not to be able to train today. »
Clavel (15-0, 3 KOs) is the noh 1 under the 108 pounds held by the Mexican Gomez (19-5-3, 6 K.-O.). This is the third time this fight has to be postponed. Last November, Clavel was injured in training. In January, it was the Mexican who, this time, demanded more time to prepare for this clash, given that members of her team had contracted the virus.
However, she was critical of GYM on social networks.
“This is the second time they’ve postponed this fight,” she wrote in response to Michel’s announcement on Twitter. I’m sorry for Clavel if it’s true that she has COVID. I just found out this morning, when I’m already at the airport. I don’t understand why we weren’t warned. It’s not a game.”
The gala scheduled for Thursday has therefore been cancelled. The other five scheduled fights will be rescheduled for the May 5 card, featuring Eleider Alvarez, or a later date.
“It’s a gala that was based solely on the World Championship between Kim and Gomez, explained Michel. The other fights are mostly four rounds: we can’t go forward in these conditions.
“The May 5 gala isn’t just about one fight: many of the other fights would stand alone if Alvarez were to not fight. In addition, two of the boxers involved on this card, Mathieu Germain and Mazlum Akdeniz, were infected in January. There is no guarantee [qu’ils ne seront pas de nouveau infectés par la maladie], but it allows us to be relatively optimistic about the holding of this gala. »
A date for the resumption of the Clavel-Gomez clash has not yet been set.
“When you look at other athletes, whether in boxing or in other sports, you still have a good idea of the time needed [à la reprise de leurs activités], said Michael. It is certain that Kim will not be able to fight before the month of June. That’s the job we’ll have to do: see how his things will progress and get along with Team Gomez. It is certain that they are disappointed and frustrated […] but it’s quite fortuitous what happened with Kim. There’s nothing we can do. »
“We pleaded with the WBC. The president, Mauricio Sulaiman, is aware of the situation; it has already happened to other boxers and other events, it is not a drama for him. The WBC is being asked for a potential date in June. We will try to get along with the Gomez clan and hope that Kim will recover quickly. »
The pandemic therefore continues to shake up the world of Quebec boxing, which has been hard hit since March 2020. As soon as the outbreaks began in the province, four galas scheduled for that month were canceled. Boxing then found itself on the sidelines for several months. Eye of the Tiger Management presented galas in Shawinigan and Rimouski in October and November 2020, but GYM did not resume operations until March 2021.
“We knew we weren’t entirely out of the woods. Our December 17 event [mettant en vedette Artur Beterbiev au Centre Bell] took place just before we were confined again, noted Michel. We were aware that another wave was breaking in Quebec. Kim’s clan couldn’t avoid the outbreak that hit the gymnasium. When I heard the news yesterday, I was not surprised: this is the time we live in. We have to deal with that. »