There will be a passing of the torch on October 17 at Casino du Lac-Leamy. The hard-hitting Buckingham native, Alexandre ‘King Cogne’ Gaumont, will be in action for the first time as the main event. And there’s more. Gatineau’s pride, Pascal Villeneuve, will also be making his return on the undercard after more than eight years away from the ring. The event will be broadcast on Punching Grace and ESPN+ starting at 7:00 PM.
“This will be the third time I’m fighting at home, and since the crowd has shown up in the past, I hope they’ll be even louder for my first main event! It’s no coincidence that I deliver my best performances when my people are behind me; October 17 promises to be a big night,” said the athlete nicknamed ‘King Cogne,’ Alexandre Gaumont (11-0, 7 KOs).
However, he will face a tough challenge. In a scheduled 8-round bout, he will go up against the rugged Argentine brawler Cristian Zarate (10-4, 3 KOs). The pride of Buenos Aires has never been stopped and recently upset an undefeated prospect in his last outing.
While Gaumont aims to continue his rise, another son of the Outaouais region will look to thrill his audience—perhaps for the last time.
“For me, the most important thing was to experience it at least once with my kids. In my mind, it’s a one-shot deal, but we’ll see how it goes. I feel in a much better place in my life now than I was even when I was active, but one thing hasn’t changed: I’ll give it my all to impress the crowd,” noted Pascal Villeneuve (4-2-1, 2 KOs), who will undoubtedly have a legion of supporters behind him as he fights literally at his workplace.
We’re talking about a major return, but Villeneuve’s won’t be the only one the audience will witness on the undercard. Former heavyweight world champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse (7-2, 2 KOs) will also be in action, restarting her quest for a second world title. Steve ‘The Dragon’ Claggett (38-8-2, 26 KOs) will be looking to pave the way for a second world championship bout. Additionally, world title contender Mehmet Unal (10-0, 8 KOs) will continue his ascent in the light heavyweight division in the co-main event of a card also featuring Shamil Khataev (12-0-1, 3 KOs), Luis Santana (12-0, 6 KOs), and Moreno Fendero (6-0, 4 KOs).
