(Montreal) Montrealer Caroline Veyre and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) were no longer on the same page and agreed to end their association. But it even seems that the two parties do not agree on the causes of the divorce.
Radio-Canada reported last week that after dismissing his coaches Danielle Bouchard and Stéphan Larouche, Veyre (7-0) decided to leave GYM, for sporting and financial reasons.
Reached by The Canadian Press on Monday, Katia Banel, the boxer’s agent, indicated that she and Veyre were dissatisfied with the pugilist’s progress, believing that her opponents were not of good enough quality to help her progress. Banel also mentioned sums owed by GYM under Veyre’s contract which had not been paid to him.
“It is certain that the departure was by mutual agreement. There was no problem for Yvon Michel to let Caroline go, given the points provided,” Banel initially indicated.
“Last Thursday, we went to meet Yvon Michel, Caroline and me. We talked about the different points that led us to want to leave. The first is the regression of the adversaries proposed to Caroline. She was moved up until her third fight, but after that she started having weaker and weaker opponents, which did not lead to her having any minor title chances with these opponents. »
“He was transparent about the fact that, indeed, his financial limitations caused this problem,” she added. He understood that Caroline, being of a certain age, needed to take on these challenges now and not in five years. He offered to look for a sponsor to win a minor title, but knowing that [les frais de sanctions] can go up to $12,000, it’s a very big expense. When you need money to train, it’s stressful. We’re not going to put it in a minor title. It’s up to the promoter to develop a boxer and promote him, otherwise, we don’t need a promoter. »
These comments obviously made Michel react, met on Tuesday on the sidelines of the press conference launching the activities of his next gala, on April 4.
” It’s incredible [de dire que nous n’avons pas les ressources financières]. I often spoke to Vincent Morin [l’apparieur de GYM]. What he was telling me was that he was being denied more opponents [par le clan Veyre] that he was not accepted.
“She complained about the quality of her opponents. OK, but she didn’t downgrade anyone in the ring either,” added the man who has worked in boxing for some 50 years.
As for the sanction fees required of boxers, this is false, he assured.
“It is false that he was asked to pay the penalty costs. I have no shame in saying it: if someone wants to invest in their boxers and pay these costs, we will not refuse that. At the beginning of January, we had Caroline on two events. It was Katia who said she would like Caroline to fight for a belt and was willing to pay. I have no problem with that, it means that you believe in your boxer, that you want to invest in her career. I will organize myself to seek sanction in such a case. »
“If someone had told me we wanted to do this in May [NDLR : Veyre devait se battre sur la carte du 16 mai], I would have said that I would not have been ready to invest at this time, that it was not the right time. But if [sa gérante] had wanted, I would have boarded. »
Obviously, this conflict has its source in a divergence of perception of the evolution of Veyre’s career.
“When we think it’s relevant, we’ll look for a belt. We will look for a belt to move up the rankings or to become a mandatory opponent. Caroline is already fifth on Boxrec and there is only one champion in her division, Amanda Serrano. Caroline is not ready to fight Amanda Serrano. »
“When we felt that Kim [Clavel] was ready, we made sure that it became mandatory for [Jessica] Plata and the obligatory [Evelin] Bermudez. We invested what was needed when it was needed. We do it all the time. When you think it’s relevant, you’re never limited financially. »
“I really like Caroline and I think she’s going to be world champion and we had a plan for that. She thinks she’ll have a better plan elsewhere and I’m happy for her. »
Michel also indicated that Veyre would receive all the amounts owed to him.
“I could have, because I have a formal contract, contested and told them that they were going to stay and receive the minimums written in the contract, but in the circumstances, I didn’t think it was worth it. We’re fighting about it. »