Photo: Vincent Ethier – Alexandre Gaumont has the best performance of his career in his sights on October 17.
Buckingham’s hard-hitting fighter, Alexandre ‘King Cogne’ Gaumont (11-0, 7 KOs), will step into the ring for the third time in his career in front of his hometown crowd on October 17th at the Casino du Lac-Leamy. However, this bout will have a special flavor, as it will be his first time headlining an event, facing Argentine brawler Cristian Zarate (10-4, 3 KOs).
“It’s always incredible to fight in front of a crowd, whether it’s in Montreal, Shawinigan, or Gatineau. But it’s definitely even more fun when you know the crowd is there for you,” he said right off the bat.
With former heavyweight queen Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse and the return of local fan favorite Pascal Villeneuve on the card, the stage is set. The trio of Outaouais athletes will count on a crowd as loud as it is partisan on October 17th.
Tight-knit Community
To find this kind of crowd, there’s no better place than the regions. Alexandre Gaumont knows this well, having already built a huge fan base, even with just over ten professional fights under his belt.
“In Montreal, there are so many people, so many athletes and boxers. Here, there are three of us. Everyone knows me, and I know everyone, so I guess it’s easier for people to rally behind one of their own,” reflects Gaumont, who is trained by his father, Marcellin Gaumont, at the BG Boxing Club in Buckingham.
What to Expect?
He certainly doesn’t intend to disappoint “his people” on October 17th.
He’s already sparred with Pascal Villeneuve, Danyk Croteau, and double world title challenger Steven Butler. Sure, with a nickname like ‘King Cogne,’ you can expect to “end the show” quickly at times, but Gaumont prefers to be ready for any scenario.
“From what I’ve seen, [Cristian Zarate] is tough, he applies pressure, and throws a lot of punches. I can’t underestimate him; he’s faced some good boxers.”
Zarata isn’t to be taken lightly, as he just achieved the biggest win of his career. Last July, he surprised Julian Marmol in the 2nd round, handing him his first loss in five fights.
Lessons Learned
Last May in Shawinigan, the Quebecer secured a hard-fought victory by split decision against another previously undefeated Argentine, Santiago Fernandez. Though he won, the victory left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“I’m not afraid to say it was the worst fight of my career,” he admitted bluntly.
“We couldn’t quite figure out how it happened… And I’m not making excuses, but that whole week before the fight, I felt like I was lacking energy… and when I stepped into the ring, I think it showed…”
It was strange, indeed, as being not a “big middleweight,” the weight cut was without issues. His cardio is also usually not a problem. In fact, Gaumont had already won EOTTM’s 2023 Fight of the Year, easily going the full 8 rounds to beat Ulices Rivera. But sometimes, like anyone doing literally any job, you’re just sick and your work day is less fun than usual…
“Now I don’t want to leave anything to chance,” he affirmed, revealing that he even hired a nutritionist to prevent a similar disaster from happening again.
Alexandre’s 12 Labors
A tireless worker in every sense, the father of two young children also works in the construction industry. Of course, his work in the gym reduces his time elsewhere. Until he can make a full living from boxing, it’s the support from those around him that allows him to keep dreaming of reaching the highest levels of the sweet science.
“My partner, my parents, my friends… I’m really lucky because I get help from a lot of people!”
It all circles back to the initial point. On October 17th, Alexandre Gaumont doesn’t want to leave anything to chance. Not for himself and his dreams, but also to live up to the expectations of all those who believe in him—“his people”—who will support him once again when the war begins.
