Kim Clavel was in such bad shape that her doctor would not have given her the green light to face Jessica Nery Plata on Thursday at Place Bell, which forced Groupe Yvon Michel to postpone the gala to January 13.
“I had between 39 and 40 degrees of fever for 36 hours, revealed the boxer from Joliette, visibly seized and emotional, during a videoconference on Wednesday. You can’t take what you want because of the anti-doping tests on the sidelines of a fight. I was on the lemon-honey-ginger herbal tea, but at some point, it has its limits. »
Clavel (16-0, 3 KOs) was scheduled to face Nery Plata (28-2, 3 KOs) in a unification bout for the World Boxing Council (WBC) light flyweight belts and of the World Boxing Association (WBA).
“I feel bad for the Nery Plata team and the other boxers who were supposed to be on the card,” Clavel added. I feel ashamed, even though I know I did everything to avoid it. »
Clavel’s team had notably moved public training, first planned in a Laval shopping center on Saturday, to its gymnasium at the Claude-Robillard center. This training was also reserved for media representatives only. Members of her team, including Sara Kali, even ‘sparred’ with the boxer while wearing a mask.
The Quebecer said she began to feel the effects of the flu on Sunday evening, assuring that they were then minors. She was also in good shape during the press conference on Monday, although she claims not to have been in top form at that time.
A bout of fever kept her bedridden for much of Tuesday, when she should have been cutting weight.
“Let’s say that a sauna is not ideal for lowering the temperature,” said Clavel.
It was then that Dr. Francis Fontaine warned her that he would not hesitate to declare her unfit for combat with the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux.
“He said to me, ‘You put all the chances on your side to lose,’ Clavel said. […] He convinced me. »
Yvon Michel, president of GYM, then briefly contemplated the idea of holding the event with Mazlum Akdenis in the final. However, he felt it was unfair to the 3,200 ticket holders and decided to postpone the gala. The affected local boxers should all end up on this map.
The promoter will leave several tens of thousands of dollars in the adventure. However, he believes that these are business risks.
“My son will get smaller Christmas presents,” he joked. We are big people. We know it’s part of our environment, ”he added more seriously.
As for the date of January 13, it is because of medical knowledge about influenza which allows the promoter to be confident of presenting the gala at this precise moment.
“With influenza, we know how long it takes for the disease to resolve. We even looked at dates in December, but we stopped our choice on January 13, ”he explained.
Rivas on January 14
In addition, GYM and Top Rank announced this morning the return to the ring of Oscar Rivas on January 14th. The WBC welterweight champion will take on Efe Ajagba at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY.
Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs), however, will not put his belt on the line against Ajagba (16-1, 13 KOs). The bout will be contested in the heavyweight division.
The Nigerian, who took part in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016, is a six-foot-six, 240-pound colossus. He suffered his only loss, by unanimous decision, against Frank Sanchez, in October 2021. Two minor belts were then at stake.
As for Rivas, it will be his first fight since becoming champion of the new WBC division, also in October 2021. He had signed a difficult victory by unanimous decision against the Canadian Ryan Rozicki. Since then, all attempts to get him to defend his belt – including a mega event in Colombia, where he is from – have failed.
This fight obviously aims to keep him active while waiting for a first mandatory defense of his title, which will take place next March, in Poland, against local hopeful Lukasz Rozanski (14-0, 13 KOs).
“Oscar is very proud to be the super-heavyweight champion and he will keep his belt,” said Michel. […] We also have to pay a penalty fee, as if it were a title fight, to be able to face Ajagba. »
The fight against Rozanski was supposed to take place on February 25, but was postponed for a few weeks at the request of the Pole’s promoter.