Boxing is back in Gatineau this Thursday, with a gala headlined by local pride Alexandre Gaumont as he faces Swiss trouble-maker Ramadan Hiseni.
But a total of seven fights await spectators — and Punching Grace viewers — on Thursday night. On the international stage, the co-main event is drawing no shortage of attention. Olympic medalist and NABF champion Imam Khataev will defend his title against former unified world light-heavyweight title challenger Adam Deines.
Former world champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse will also return, as will EOTTM’s undefeated prospect Avery Martin Duval, along with Ayoub Manni, Victor Tremblay, and Vadym Klym.
What should you expect, and what should you watch for? In partnership with Mise-o-jeu+, Punching Grace gathered insights from seven experts!
Photo: Vincent Ethier: Shamil Khataev and Ramadan Hiseni
Will Hiseni derail the train again?
This is the second time Ramadan Hiseni (21-2-2, 8 KOs) competes in Quebec. Last June, he caused a stir by earning a draw against Shamil Khataev (13-0-1, 4 KOs), younger brother — and now coach — of Imam, during his EOTTM debut.
Despite the draw, Hiseni cried robbery, believing he deserved the victory — and many observers agreed with him…
“Hiseni is right… but he’ll realize that Gaumont hits a lot harder and is much better than [Shamil] Khataev,” commented BPM Sports play-by-play announcer Anthony Marcotte when the fight was announced.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Alexandre Gaumont
On paper and in practice, it’s hard to deny that Alexandre Gaumont (13-0, 9 KOs) hits far harder than Shamil Khataev and Ramadan Hiseni. However, as Punching Grace analyst Matt Casavant notes: “Hiseni is by far the best opponent Gaumont has faced so far.”
According to Laurent Poulin, if Gaumont doesn’t find the magic punch, things could get complicated quickly for the Outaouais pride.
“We might be closer to another controversial draw than we think. Hiseni knows how to box, and he’s been seen training with Osleys Iglesias, so we can assume he can take a punch too. The pro-Gaumont crowd could make the difference, even influencing the judges if it’s close,” explained the Boxingtown Québec columnist.
Photo: Mikey Williams – Imam Khataev
Imam following in Artur’s footsteps
In the co-main event, Imam Khataev (10-1, 9 KOs) will try to get back on track after a highly controversial decision loss to David Morrell Jr. in New York last July.
After such an experience, “I’d be surprised if Imam even wants to say hello to the judges in his next fight,” joked Manny Montreal of Talking Boxing.
But it won’t be easy.
His opponent, Adam Deines (24-3-1, 14 KOs), is coming to Quebec for the first time, but is already well known to fans. In 2021, he braved the Russian winter to challenge former unified champion and adopted Montrealer Artur Beterbiev. He surprised many by lasting 10 rounds against Marc Ramsay’s protégé.
Then, in 2024, after a cancelled event in Shawinigan, Deines finally faced EOTTM fighter Albert Ramirez in hostile territory — Venezuela — and this time was stopped in the 7th round.
Photo: Ring Magazine – Imam Khataev vs David Morrell
Can Deines do better against Khataev? According to Ring Magazine’s Anson Wainwright, it’s Khataev who will outperform both Artur and Albert.
“I believe Khataev’s physical strength — and punching power — will allow him to control the center of the ring while pushing Deines backward. By picking his shots well and maintaining volume, I expect him to stop Deines halfway through the fight.”
Khataev is currently ranked 6th and 7th in the world by the WBC and IBF. If he dispatches Deines convincingly, he may be in line for a major fight once he leaves Gatineau…
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Stéphane Joanisse, Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse and Marcellin Gaumont
A new beginning for “Vany”
In the evening’s “quarter-final,” Saint-André-Avellin’s pride Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse (7-2, 2 KOs) will return before her Outaouais crowd. In fact, after more than 16 months away, she’s simply back in action.
However, it won’t be at 175 lbs — where she became world champion in March 2024 — but at 168 lbs, in the super-middleweight division, for the first time in her career.
Once again, American Sonya Dreiling (7-9, 2 KOs), who will face “Vany,” is no stranger to Quebec fans.
“Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse returns to the ring after a year in an entirely new division, the super-middles, against Sonya Dreiling, a veteran well known in Quebec from her fights with Mary Spencer and Tamm Thibeault. This division could open new doors for Vany, since several competitive women fight at 168 pounds: Shadasia Green, Savannah Marshall, Franchon Crews-Dezurn, Hannah Gabriels, Raquel Miller, Nisa Rodriguez… With a win over Dreiling, she could have access to very interesting fights that fans would love,” analyzed 120 Secondes podcast host Marie-Eve Albert.
Undercard gems
Also on the card: keep an eye on Montrealer Ayoub Mannii (3-0, 3 KOs), who now has a new — and very noteworthy — trainer as he aims to climb the cruiserweight ranks.
“Now trained by Mike Moffa, it will be interesting to watch Ayoub Maanni’s fight against Anton Tokarchuk. Known for his aggressive and powerful style, we’ll see if Mike Moffa can add new dimensions to Maanni’s approach,” said William Dumoulin of Boxing News QC.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Avery Martin Duval
Avery Martin Duval (14-0, 8 KOs) will take on former European champion James Chereji (22-7, KO), a measuring-stick fight according to Manny Montreal.
“Having followed Avery’s career since the start, I’d say he’s never had this much momentum. He has a good opponent for his second scheduled 10-round bout. Chereji has faced several champions and even a world champion (Liam Paro), but I expect Avery to pass the test in style.”
A raw diamond in the opener
And speaking of following a boxer from the beginning, Vadym Klym (1-0) will have his second fight in the event opener. A former member of the Ukrainian national team, he now lives in Toronto and fights under Canadian promoter Three Lions Promotions. He made his professional debut in British Columbia last August — and Manny Montreal was there to cover it.
“What I saw was raw talent and a hunger to learn! For his second fight, he’ll have an even bigger platform, and I expect him to take advantage of it to send a message that he’s one of the best prospects in the country!”
All in all, the message is clear: starting at 6:30 p.m., you’ll want to pay attention from the first fight to the last. To get even closer to the action, head over to Mise-o-jeu+ and experience the rise of Quebec boxing — as if you were in the ring!
