Don’t let anyone come and rant about women’s boxing. Kim Clavel lost. It’s true and Yesica Nery Plata deserved the win. She was tougher, stronger and hit just as often but much harder than Kim Clavel.
But who dares say this ten round fight isn’t one of the good fights of the year? And not just in Quebec.
We were treated to a technical demonstration, notably from Clavel, courage, aggressiveness, strength from Plata and also coaching since the TV showed us Danielle Bouchard between attacks. Listening to his instructions it was easy to understand where the fight was in his head.
And we understood from the seventh round that Clavel could still bet on a draw, but that the win became problematic.
In any case, Mario Ceccini, the former president of the Alouettes, could forget the dirt of his dismissal for half an hour. He was the host’s guest.
THE PAIN OF DEFEAT
Kim Clavel cried profusely at a press conference. Whether man or woman, 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 hamburger face. Stéphane Larouche was at their side in both cases. And Jean Pascal after Sergei Kovalev, do you think he wasn’t in pain?
That Clavel cried is quite true. It was she who struggled, she who fought, and she who faced the agony of defeat.
Don’t think the Clavel clan was taken by surprise either. Two days before the fight, Stéphan Larouche only said to me: “We have a real challenge ahead of us. She’s got a big left hook.” He could have added “and a good jab.”
Kim Clavel is still young. There are many good boxers in her category. Boxing is cruel, but it’s a sport. Defeat is not the end of everything; Proof, Yesica Nery Plata has two defeats in his record.
That didn’t stop Boxrec from making it number one in the world.
THE JUDGE OF MARIE-PIER HOULE
GYM loses its last champion. But there is a rematch, which is very possible. And this Mazium Akdeniz, who won a one-sided round of ten against his Mexican of the evening, can certainly see progress. In any case, he is energetic and in great form.
The other point worth mentioning is the fight between Marie and Pier Houle. The young woman is doubted to have an athletic physique that is ideal for boxing. She was well prepared and won a relatively close fight.
But how could a judge give Madame Houle all rounds? And it seems to me that these hasty judgments are all too common in the world of 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 pro.
