Let no one come and rant about women’s boxing. Kim Clavel lost. It’s true and Yesica Nery Plata deserved the victory. She was tougher, stronger and hit just as often but much harder than Kim Clavel.
But who will dare to say that this fight of ten rounds is not part of the good fights of the year? And not just in Quebec.
We were treated to a technical demonstration, especially from Clavel, courage, aggressiveness, strength from Plata, and also coaching since the TV showed us Danielle Bouchard between the assaults. By listening to his instructions, it was easy to understand where the fight was at in his head.
And we understood from the seventh round, that Clavel could still go for a draw but that victory was becoming problematic.
In any case, Mario Ceccini, the former president of the Alouettes, was able to forget for half an hour the filth of his dismissal. He was the promoter’s guest.
THE PAIN OF DEFEAT
Kim Clavel wept profusely in a press briefing. Male or female, defeat hurts. I saw Lucian Bute in Nottingham after his loss to Carl Froch. It was demolished. I saw Éric Lucas in Copenhagen after Mikaël Kessler. The minced steak face. In both cases, Stéphane Larouche was at their side. And Jean Pascal after Sergei Kovalev, do you think he was not in pain?
That Clavel cried is quite correct. It was she who toiled, she who fought and she who had to face the agony of defeat.
Also, don’t think the Clavel clan was taken by surprise. Two days before the fight, Stéphan Larouche just said to me: “We have a real challenge on our hands. She’s got a big left hook.” He could have added “and a good jab”.
Kim Clavel is still young. In her category, there are many good female boxers. Boxing is cruel but it is a sport. A defeat is not the end of everything; proof, Yesica Nery Plata has two defeats on its record.
That didn’t stop Boxrec from ranking it number one in the world.
THE JUDGE OF MARIE-PIER HOULE
GYM loses its last champion. But there is a rematch that is very possible. And this Mazium Akdeniz who won a one-sided ten round against his Mexican of the evening, may have something to see progress. In any case, he is energetic and in great shape.
The other point to note is the Marie-Pier Houle fight. The young woman is doubted of an athletic physique ideal for boxing. She was well prepared and she won a relatively tight fight.
But how could a judge give all the rounds to Madame Houle? And it seems to me that these snap judgments are all too common in the world of the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux.
Was Marco Bergeron there?
IN THE NOTEBOOK – Richard L’Écuyer had also predicted a victory for Plata. And to reassure my old friend Jean-Charles Lajoie, my accreditation was naked. Claire Couturier remains a great professional.