The Montreal Casino is truly starting to carve out a place for itself in the history books of Quebec boxing. It is no longer just a venue where small shows are held to launch careers, but rather a stage where the biggest boxing matches in the province now take place.
At its most recent event at the Montreal Casino cabaret, Eye of the Tiger delivered an IBF world championship bout to fans, a first for men’s boxing in this venue.
You can feel in the atmosphere that something special is happening at every event. Tickets sell quickly, and the fans show up.
But the Quebec promoter isn’t stopping there. Two events are scheduled for June, and one of them will take place at the Montreal Casino.
In the main event, an interim WBA world championship fight. Albert Ramirez will finally face Lerrone Richards.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Albert Ramirez
And on the undercard, two boxers with all the potential to become world champions will step into the ring in fights that could prove to be turning points in their careers.
Dzmitry Asanau (12-0, 6 KOs) vs Roger Gutierrez (29-7-1, 22 KOs)
For Asanau, it’s simple: we know he possesses exceptional talent. He has already faced some very durable veterans and has never looked in danger.
He may not have the exceptional punching power of Jhon Orobio, but his technique and speed have allowed him to win all 12 of his fights convincingly.
However, his June 4 opponent will allow fans to see exactly where “The Wasp” stands compared to others in his division. Yes, Gutierrez does have 7 losses, which may seem confusing at first glance.
We say that because Asanau has already beaten opponents with far more impressive records than that of the Venezuelan.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Dzmitry Asanau
But Gutierrez has faced some very good fighters and is known for his durability. He has fought boxers such as Lucas Bahdi, Hector Luis Garcia, and Oscar Duarte Jurado, the latter being the only one to stop him before the final bell.
So here we have an opponent whose record isn’t perfect, but also isn’t padded. And sometimes, that’s exactly what’s needed to progress: a fighter who has been in the ring with strong opponents and brings that experience with him. Experience that will undoubtedly help Asanau improve.
If Asanau can win before the final bell or dominate easily on the judges’ scorecards, we’ll know he’s ready for a major challenge. And if he has to dig deep and fight hard until the final bell, it will be a valuable learning opportunity. Many fighters have to go through that to progress.
In any case, this fight could be a turning point in his career.
Photo: WBA Boxing – Roger Gutierrez
Jhon Orobio (17-0, 15 KOs) vs Jonathan Montrel (19-4, 13 KOs)
It was recently confirmed that the Colombian prodigy will face American Jonathan Montrel.
As we know, Orobio has been disposing of everything in his path in recent performances, and all signs point to him continuing that trend in his next fight.
However, he will face a boxer who just went 10 rounds with none other than Emiliano Vargas. Although he lost that fight, Montrel still managed to go the distance and reach the judges’ scorecards.
It’s no secret in the boxing world that Orobio is overflowing with talent.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Jhon Orobio
In fact, with his streak of four consecutive knockout victories, it’s well known that “El Tigre” is extremely dangerous. He now has an opportunity to show everyone just how dangerous he really is.
Despite his young age, Jhon is not looking to waste any time in his quest to become a world champion. While Vargas had to go to the judges to secure his win against Montrel, Orobio will be looking to stop him as quickly as possible.
More often than not, that’s exactly what he does. In his last fight, the young Colombian stopped Yomar Alamo in five rounds with a devastating knockout. Alamo had only been stopped once before, against Richardson Hitchins, and that was via retirement in the 8th round.
If Orobio continues to rack up victories like this, especially against a boxer like Quintana, he will become undeniable in the eyes of sanctioning bodies, even at just 22 years old.
Photo: Lola.com – Jonathan Montrel
