(Montreal) Welterweight Sébastien Bouchard will not be able to get into the Olympia ring on Friday in the semi-final of the shock between Oscar Rivas and Ryan Rozicki.
Bouchard (19-2, 8 K. -O.), Of Baie-Saint-Paul, was to face Mexican Sergio Ortega (24-2, 18 K. -O.) In an eight-round fight, but the latter had failed a medical examination on arrival in Quebec.
Ortega is said to be suffering from an extremely contagious condition that prevents him from fighting.
If the promoter of the evening, Yvon Michel, was disappointed, his disappointment could not be as intense as that of Bouchard, who was to enter the ring for the first time since last March. He was to fight on the map of August 28, at the IGA stadium, but his opponent had to withdraw, having contracted COVID-19.
As this withdrawal had occurred within 10 days of the fight, the rules of the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux did not authorize GYM to replace the boxer on the card.
Bouchard tries to move up the ranks of the division after a heartbreaking knockout loss. technique suffered against Ayaz Hussain, in November 2019. Bouchard suffered a major torn biceps during a fight for the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) title of the division.
This is not the only fight that Groupe Yvon Michel had to cancel on Friday. The eight-round duel between Toronto super middleweight Steve Rolls (20-1, 11 KOs) and Frenchman Gregory Trenel (14-7-2, 4 KOs) was struck out of the game. menu. Trenel would not have been able to obtain a visa for this gala.
The final will pit Rivas (27-1, 19 KOs) against Nova Scotian Rozicki (13-0, 13 KOs) for the first title in World Boxing’s new super-heavy-light division. Council (WBC).
Rivas is the division’s No. 1 contender, while Rozicki, who usually fights in the light-heavyweight, is ranked 15e.