Both Kim Clavel and Yesenia Gómez had just made weight when their eyes met for the traditional face-to-face photo.
Posted at 4:34 p.m.
If their exchanges had been cordial until then, we felt the tone change a little at this time.
Without taking their eyes off each other, Clavel (15-0, 3 KOs) and Gómez (19-5-3, 6 KOs) exchanged sweet words in front of the spotlight.
“It came to give me chills, later launched the Quebec boxer in front of the media, with a smile on her face. Her nickname is La Niña, the child. I am the adult. That’s what I told him. »
A few people gathered at the Le Valet bar at the Casino de Montréal began to proclaim ” And new! ”, in reference to what the announcer could say in the ring in the event that Clavel becomes the new light flyweight (108 lb) champion of the WBC.
The pugilist, who registered a weight of 107.8 lbs, was inspired by this.
” She said : “Loser.” Me, I said: “And new.” »
Because she is convinced that a victory awaits her on Friday evening.
“I’m ready, I’m feverish, I have adrenaline in my muscles. I did everything. There, I drank, I ate. I am in a good mood. […] It created a little animosity, and that’s fun. Boxing is a show, and we are going to give it. »
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Kim Clavel registered a weight of 107.8 lbs at the Casino de Montreal on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Mexican champion (107.2 lbs) remained frozen.
“I’m a person who always keeps calm,” Gómez replied through an interpreter. I do not speak alot. Those who talk a lot are the first to fall. »
Gómez “at the top” of his form
The small skirmish on the stage amused the promoter of the event, Yvon Michel.
“The two girls who said they had forgotten the past went overboard when they faced each other! he started, laughing. Both are intense, determined. »
Which should give a hard-fought fight, the result of which could only be known at the very end.
“I have the impression that in the last round, we will not yet know who will be the winner,” said the man who is also a boxing analyst.
“We are excited about Kim, about the fight. But Gómez is aggressive. She puts pressure. In the preparation of Kim, we organized ourselves so that she is more subtle in the game plan. Let her give angles. That she doesn’t just brawl like she did against Maria Vargas. They understood that you can’t do that with Gómez. She will have to be brilliant, disciplined in the ring. »
Yesenia Gómez became world champion in 2018, and successfully defended her title six times. She started her professional career at the age of 15. It was precisely at the start of her career that she suffered the majority of her defeats. His last dates back to 2017.
“She is really good, concedes Michel. She’s matured. She learned her boxing from the pros. […] She understood her job better. She is at the peak of what she can be as an athlete right now. »
It is even the clan of the Mexican who “expressed their interest” in coming to fight in Montreal and defending their title for the first time outside their country.
They wanted “international visibility”, since the fight will be broadcast in several countries.
“Sometimes you have to be careful what you want, warns the promoter. Kim, with all the reports, she’s even more prepared. She is more complete as an athlete than she was before, than if they had met in December. »
“Everything was done in order”
Only one boxer had a problem during the weigh-in: Wendy Cruz Castro (0-2), the opponent of Montrealer Caroline Veyre. His physical form also raised some eyebrows.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Caroline Veyre and Wendy Cruz Castro
The clash will be at super featherweight, so with a weight limit set at 128 lbs. Veyre, who will be taking his first steps in professional boxing, tipped the scales at 126.2 lbs. Castro, at 131.2 lbs. The Mexican, who thus exceeds the limit, therefore loses 20% of her purse.
Less than a year after the tragic death of Jeanette Zacarias Zapata after her fight at the IGA stadium, Yvon Michel assures us that “everything was done in order”.
“We are still much more cautious, with what happened last summer. […] I was told she had the skill to go up against Caroline.
“The problem we have in professional boxing is that we don’t have the budgets to bring high-level opponents into four-round fights. And for boxers who start. Actually, I didn’t really like what I saw. Hoping that if something happens, the referee will intervene. »