Olivier Aubin-Mercier can’t wait to be on vacation. “It’s probably a bigger motivation than the million dollars,” he says.
The pugilist has said it often over the past year: if he were to reach the PFL final again this year, it would be his last fight. His swan song.
“I want to be finished. That’s not bad. And I see it happening, so I start to be happy. »
The 34-year-old athlete met The Press on November 14, less than a week before he left for Washington for his final fight. This final is nothing new for the Montrealer, who was crowned champion almost exactly a year ago. A replica of his big check also adorns the wall of Gym H2O, in Montreal, place of our meeting.
Aubin-Mercier has been repeating it for several months: he no longer has much motivation to train or fight. But he did his homework. “The discipline is there in every training session,” he assures.
Obviously, the fighter would like to go on vacation – read retired – with a second million in his pocket. Last year, he bought a holographic card of Charizard, a Pokémon, worth “a few thousand dollars”. A card that, for those who were wondering, he ultimately gave to his brother. He also bought himself a bidet.
What good could a second million do him? The friendly fighter, always so entertaining in interviews, responds point-blank: “A Japanese toilet is the step above the bidet. »
Then he adds: “I don’t know if you know Magic cards? »
We acquiesce.
“There’s a special Lord of the Rings series that came out,” he continues. There’s a ring card, but there’s only one, and Post Malone has it. He bought it for 2 million. »
Rest assured, Aubin-Mercier has no intention of spending $2 million on a Magic card… Although, that’s what we deduce from it. Only his bank account will know the truth.
“I’m bitter!” he exclaims. When I was young, my parents told me: no, don’t buy the $400 Lotus card. There, it is worth $200,000. I’m bitter that I left her. »
“I have never been so good”
We had to see Aubin-Mercier in action in training before our interview. In the final half hour, the fighter invited his friend, Michael Dufort, to join him in the training octagon to do reps of ground movements.
“Would you have liked to add more?” For 1 million, he doesn’t hit,” said Dufort after Aubin-Mercier had executed a chokehold.
For the final fight which will pit him against the American Clay Collard, Aubin-Mercier had to make sure to dose his training well. After all, “it would be stupid to arrive there injured”.
It’s difficult for all the athletes who are going to fight for 1 million not to push too much. You want to push as much as you can because you feel like it’s the chance of a lifetime, but you shouldn’t go too hard so as not to hurt yourself.
Olivier Aubin-Mercier
The “Canadian Gangster” has won his last nine fights. His coach, Richard Ho, rates the confidence of seeing his protégé win at “99.9%”. The main person concerned is just as confident.
“My partners and my coach can say it: I have never been so good. I don’t think there’s ever a version of me that could beat me right now.
“It’s not in the bag because it’s the weirdest sport in the world, anything can happen. But Clay could be stronger than me, he could be faster than me and have better cardio than me, and I would still beat him. »
For what ? “Because I’m so much better technically,” he sums up. If he beats me, it’s really because I made a very bad decision, I had very poor management of the fight or something incredible happens. »
Especially since the Quebecer has “no more pressure”, unlike his opponent. “If he wins this fight, it will change his life. For me, it’s a bonus. My life is already changed. I am happy. »
Passionate people
As we said at the opening of this article: Olivier Aubin-Mercier can’t wait to be on vacation. This fight will be the last, except perhaps if the PFL one day organizes a gala in Quebec.
There is something [à la fois] nice and a little sad to leave the sport at the top. But I’ve made peace with it and I’m proud of myself.
Olivier Aubin-Mercier
“It’s stupid, but it’s been two years since I last saw my friends. […] I’ve always been a guy who loves good restaurants and good wine. I look forward to spending time with my family. »
If he wins a second million, Aubin-Mercier will be able to take a long, very long vacation. But he has no intention of sitting at home doing nothing.
“I think I’m still pretty good with my money, even if I keep saying that I buy cards,” he says. I won’t need to work, but it’s important for me to still work. Otherwise, I’ll fart at the fret. »
Work where? On TV, maybe. In a café or a restaurant, why not? “I’m open to anything,” he says.
“It’s one of my strengths: I’m interested in a lot of things in life. I am interested in what the world is experiencing, in what it is doing. This is one of the reasons why I love good restaurants. I like things well done. It’s stupid, but I like beautiful knives. I love the back story of a handmade knife, of a restaurant that makes its food…
“I like to encourage these people who do things well, who sell their things for more. For me, it’s important to give back in this regard. Not necessarily to give my money to anyone, but… I like that, the passionate world. I think that in the future, whether on television or elsewhere, going to see passionate people and learning more about them is something that would interest me. »