Not so long ago, on the PunchCast podcast, I said that boxing in the ’80s and ’90s was more spectacular than it is today.
It was an honest reflection, tinged with nostalgia for a time when every fight felt like an epic, when styles clashed like waves in a stormy sea. A golden era that captivated me… like a first high school love.
But thinking back, I realize that today’s boxing, especially here in Québec, has nothing to be ashamed of. Because, let’s be honest, when you watch Christian Mbilli, it’s the very definition of entertainment! A flurry of punches, fireworks, drama, boredom isn’t an option! But it must be said that every era had its attractions.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Osley Iglesias
And Mbilli is not alone.
Over the years, there’s been remarkable recruitment work, a patient weaving of talents from here and abroad. Today, that work is paying off.
Christian Mbilli is the interim WBC world champion, Osley Iglesias is the IBO champion and mandatory challenger for the IBF, Mary Spencer has captured the WBA belt, Albert Ramirez holds an interim WBA title, and Kim Clavel is the IBF champion.
Five champions performing on Québec soil.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Mary Spencer
And behind them, a wave is rising: Leïla Beaudoin, Tammara Thibault, Caroline Veyre, three women ready to leap toward their first world title. And among the men, a host of talented boxers are just one or two fights away from reaching the top. And even if he’s not a champion, I can’t ignore the path Derek Pomerleau is carving in the WBC Grand Prix tournament in Riyadh!
When you take a step back, you see a scene that’s vibrant, alive, ambitious.
Québec boxing isn’t surviving, it’s thriving. It’s evolving, diversifying, attracting, and producing champions.
So yes, maybe the ’80s and ’90s had their magic, their distinct flavor, their trench wars in the ring. But today, Québec boxing has its own breath, its own intensity, and above all, a future that looks bright.
And I can only hope this is just the beginning.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Albert Ramirez
