Kim Clavel and his clan are aware that they will play big against Mexican Yesica Nery Plata on 1er December, at Place Bell in Laval. Just three months after becoming World Boxing Council light flyweight champion, the 32-year-old Montrealer will not only be putting her belt on the line, but she will also be aiming to unify the titles in the category.
Posted yesterday at 4:30 p.m.
Plata, 28, will also be defending her WBA belt for the first time, winning it in her most recent bout, a 10-round decision win over Argentina’s Yesica Bopp in March in Panama. However, she has solid experience since this will be her 11e world championship fight – including youth and interim world championships.
Clavel, however, believes that she is ready to take up this challenge, even if her trainer recognizes that it is a double or nothing bet.
If we win, we get our hands on both belts; if we lose, we lose everything.
Danielle Bouchard, trainer of Kim Clavel
But it’s a calculated risk, explains her trainer. “Kim was so successful in taking his boxing up a notch and his performance against Gomez [victoire par décision unanime en 10 rounds contre Yesenia Gomez] was so convincing that it convinced me, Kim and our team that we were ready for the challenge of directly conquering another belt. »
And it is not her protege who will contradict her.
“This fight made me realize that I am part of the elite, that I am ready to face the best,” said Clavel, Friday noon, on the sidelines of the press conference which confirmed that she would be the head of 1 gala posterer december.
“Gomez is a rigorous girl in the ring, violent, who throws a lot of punches. I knew how to manage this pressure. Physically and mentally, I am at the peak of my career. In boxing, you never know, an injury can happen quickly, an opportunity that falls by the wayside. When we had this offer on the table, we thought it was time. »
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE
Kim Clavel
A risk worth taking
GYM president Yvon Michel began banking on a unification bout the day after Clavel’s convincing victory in July, even though his prior plan was a matchup against a contender.
Kim’s performance against Gomez and people’s reaction to his fight made me consider the possibility of a unification championship. I contacted the Bermudez team [Evelyn Nazarena, championne IBF et WBO] and de Plata and I realized that it could be done against Plata.
Yvon Michel, President of GYM
Michel does not believe that we are skipping the steps in the case of Clavel, even if he was reminded that David Lemieux had expressed regrets when taking stock of his career – especially after putting his title on the line for only four months after obtaining it.
“Analyzing Kim’s level, we are confident. There is a risk, it is true. If she loses, it’s not the end of the world. And if she wins, we speed up the process and she finds herself among the best in her category. The risk is worth it,” he repeated.
Michel is so enthusiastic when he talks about Clavel that he plans to fill Place Bell on 1er December, and adds that she could become the first millionaire female boxer in the country.
Words that pleased Clavel.
“In boxing, we dream of becoming world champion and we dream of earning our first million at a certain level. It’s a dream, but I believe that Yvon has the knowledge, the contacts and the structure to allow me to achieve it.
“But I have to deliver the goods, otherwise nothing will happen. I am fueled by challenges, and there I have quite a challenge, against a good opponent. It makes me feverish,” she added.
Two other boxers on the bill
If Michel promises a very interesting semi-final in the Clavel-Plata fight, we will have to wait a little longer before knowing the details.
Two other boxers will be featured at this gala. Olympian Caroline Veyre (1-0-0) will fight a first six-round featherweight fight and Terrebonnienne Marie-Pier Houle (6-0-1, 2 KOs) will deliver a first eight-round welterweight bout. A victory would also allow him to rise among the top 5 in the category.
Left-hander Derek Pomerleau (3-0-0, 2 KOs) will be in his first six-round fight.