Nadjib Mohammedi is happy to be offered the opportunity to fight in Quebec for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental of the Americas super middleweight title on Saturday at the Casino de Montreal. However, we cannot say that he has high regard for his opponent, his French compatriot and Montrealer by adoption, Christian Mbilli.
The experienced Mohammedi (44-8, 27 KOs) did not fail to point out that without this belt, this fight against Mbilli (20-0, 18 KOs) would not have interested.
“I’m not saying never, but it would have been less interesting. In my career plan, it is not useful, ”he dropped at the Ramsay Boxing Academy, during Tuesday’s public training.
“It’s gratifying to be thought of. By taking me and beating me (which he thinks is going to happen), he thinks he’s going to prove he’s world class. It means he thinks I’m world class. It’s good. »
This is not Mohammedi’s first rodeo. Facing Mbilli, current title holder at stake, he will try to get his hands on a 19th career belt. He fought three times in the world championship, if we count his fight for the title of the World Boxing Federation light heavyweight against Doudou Ngumbu, his only victory in such an occasion. He lost by unanimous decision against Nathan Cleverly and by a resounding K.-O. ahead of Sergey Kovalev, in addition to suffering the same fate against Oleksandr Gvozdyk for an NABF title.
“I have experience”
“I’m a big fan of ‘you win or you learn,'” noted the 37-year-old boxer. Against Kovalev, I learned a lot and I’ve been using it ever since. And I want to remind everyone of something: Mr. Christian Mbilli is not Sergey Kovalev and he never will be. There is no comparison to be made. You can’t compare Mbilli to Kovalev or Canelo (Alvarez). He is young, he has a desire, of course. Me, I have an experience. I took Kovalev, but I took others too, even at super middleweight, which he didn’t take. »
He therefore does not adhere to the scenario of the French media, who see in this fight a duel between the young wolf and the veteran.
“I don’t agree with the word veteran. A veteran is a soldier who went to war. I’m a warrior with experience, it’s different. Veteran, it has a connotation of retired: it is not the case at all. I’m 37, but it doesn’t show. I’m not a boxer who took a lot of punches in my career. I am coming to Montreal to take up another challenge. […] I have all the weapons to come and dethrone Mr. Mbilli at home. »
A vision that Marc Ramsay, Mbilli’s coach, obviously does not share.
“I think we are superior in many points [à Mohammedi], Ramsay said. Now, we must not fall asleep: our adversary has a lot of experience. You have to impose yourself.
“It’s an interesting challenge. Not only the pugilist that we will face, but we made the selection of Mohammedi with the objective of bringing [Christian]to the next step. The local fights bring a lot to the boxers in terms of experience. There is a management of the pressure that will be felt from France. It will be an important tool in his luggage. »
A “quality” opponent, according to Mbilli
Ramsay drew parallels to Eleider Alvarez’s fights against Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute, when he was in the antechamber of then-WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson.
“Without those two fights against Pascal and Bute, Eleider never beats Kovalev,” he explained. There are things to pick up from these local fights against big names. There is experience, but also confidence. It flatters the ego to beat these names; after that, you know you can do it. »
“It is a challenge for us because he is a quality opponent, who has experience, who has faced several world champions and who has delivered several world championships, for his part analyzed Mbilli, more diplomatic. towards his opponent. It’s an additional opportunity to get the experience we need to win a belt.
“Mohammi’s style is unorthodox, a bit complicated, very special. He moves a lot. […] He is an opponent who will give me a plus for the rest of my career. »
A sequel that Mohammedi does not see as glorious as the Mbilli clan.
“Honestly, as of today and given the quality of the opponents in the division, I can hardly see him becoming world champion, said the Frenchman of Algerian origin. Afterwards, I don’t concentrate and am not interested in his career development, but in mine. Whether he represents the next generation or not, without being vulgar, I don’t care. »
He will still have to worry about it a little bit this Saturday.
The fight, although it is the highlight of the show this evening, will not be presented in the final of the gala of seven confrontations. In order to accommodate the French public, it will be presented at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, so 10 p.m. in France. It will follow the Montreal debut of Canadian Mary Spencer (3-0, 2 KOs, against Mexican Beatriz Aguilar, 7-6-1, 1 KOs) and Christopher Guerrero (2-0 , 1 K.-O., also against a Mexican, Marco Chino Villa, 3-5).
The final will later be secured by Artem Oganesyan (12-0, 10 KOs), who will try to get his hands on the vacant NABF super middleweight title against Dutchman Stephen Danyo (20-4-3 , 7 KOs). Alexandre Gaumont (3-0, 2 KOs), Leila Beaudoin (4-0, 1 KOs) and Joshua Frazer (2-0, 2 KOs) will also be in action from from 4 p.m.