Junior Ulysse crashed to the ground after 52 seconds… The Quebec boxer will still have time to think about it, but it would be a very sad way to end his career.
First surprised by a powerful right to the chin from the Mexican Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela (26-3-1, 16 KOs), Ulysse visited the floor, badly shaken, without being able to continue the fight. It was only his third career loss, but arguably the cruelest. Yves Ulysse Jr (22-3, 12 KOs), who was fighting just before the duel between Erik Bazinyan and Alantez Fox at the end of the gala, hinted earlier this week that a loss could spell the end of his boxing career. The 34-year-old athlete was unavailable for comment…
“He is relieved, he wants to move on,” however indicated his trainer Giuseppe Moffa.
Odysseus’ defeat unfortunately pushed Bazinyan’s commendable victory into the background.
Bazinyan: majority decision
The Armenian-born Quebecer faced a big challenge against Fox, but he managed to defend his NABF and NABA super middleweight titles.
Bazinyan won by majority decision of the judges (98-92, 98-92 and 95-95) after 10 rounds. At the sound of the final bell, the two boxers congratulated each other and welcomed the applause of the crowd.
The end for Ulysses, the beginnings for another? Earlier in the hectic Thursday evening at the Casino de Montréal, the young boxer Wilkens Mathieu did not miss his baptism in professional boxing, winning by K.-O. technique from the first assault after three falls to the carpet of his poor opponent.
“It went exactly as planned,” commented the 18-year-old. I’m very happy. »
From the start, seeing Zsolt Birkas (0-1-1, 0 K.-O.) in the ring, Mathieu smelled an opening to attack him in the body. This was going to set the stage for landing some punches to the face.
“When I saw him in the ring, I thought he had an exposed body, a long body,” said the Quebecer, adding in passing that he had not received any blows during the two minutes and 49 seconds of the fight.
“What I wanted was to live the experience with the pros,” said Mathieu. There are so many things: the atmosphere, the light, the music, the cameras, the dressing room… I really liked the experience. »
Introduction to supporters
The boxer who grew up in the Quebec region hopes to have taken advantage of the evening, which was also broadcast on TVA Sports, to be discovered.
“I will be active this year, he promised, inflated by his victory. You will see me a lot. I want to introduce myself to Quebec boxing fans and have them see my face often. It’s my aim. I would like to make a minimum of five fights this year. »
There was plenty of action during the gala. Alexandre Gaumont (7-0, 5 K.-O.) is another who won his fight in the first round in spectacular fashion.
In the land of dreams
After a right-hand uppercut, the Buckingham athlete managed to land a left hook to send Mexican Carlos Gallego Montijo (8-5, 6 KOs) to dreamland after two minutes and 26 seconds .
Montrealer Avery Martin-Duval (9-0-1, 5 KOs) released a spectacular left hook to win by KO. in the third round against the Mexican Eduardo Mota Garcia (7-1-1, 2 K.-O.). Christopher Guerrero (6-0, 2 KOs) for his part dominated Edwin Villarreal Flores (3-1-1, 3 KOs) in the third assault to inflict a first setback on the Mexican. Victory by technical knockout.
►Met at the Casino, Christian Mbilli assures that “everything is going very well” as he continues his training in Montreal for his March 23 fight against Carlos Gongora.