ABRIL VIDAL, NICKNAMED TINA, PROBABLY DIDN’T EXPECT TO RECEIVE A CALL TO FIGHT FOR A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, WITH ONLY ONE VICTORY IN 5 YEARS AGAINST AN OPPONENT WHO HAS YET TO TASTE VICTORY IN 9 BOUTS. HOWEVER, SHE DOESN’T COMPLAIN AND DOESN’T COME OUT OF NOWHERE EITHER, JUST LIKE VANESSA LEPAGE-JOANISSE, THIS WILL BE HER SECOND CHANCE AT A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.
In her defense, her inactivity from 2020-2021 is well explained. The pandemic hit, but more importantly, her first child also arrived. Anyway…
Vidal hails from Centenario, Argentina, a city whose economy revolves around fruit cultivation. Our Argentine, with a record of (10-1, 4 KOs), boasts 60 rounds of professional boxing experience. Let’s be honest, she deserved a better outcome in her world championship bout against Hanna Gabriels in 2019. The judges and referees all came from Panama to ensure some form of justice, but it didn’t prevail that night.
On paper, Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse is the clear favorite. But boxing is full of surprises. In a world championship fight, one can expect Vidal and her team to come prepared, having trained with high-level partners readily available in Argentina.
FIXING THE INJUSTICE
“I am ready! I’m just waiting for the day to come. It’s a new opportunity that God has given me, and I won’t waste it. In 2019, I fought against Hanna Gabriels for a world title, and the fight was stolen from me. Now, I will do everything to achieve my dream of becoming a world champion,” declares ‘La Tina’ Vidal.
I love attending world championship fights. I still remember, as if it were this morning, the balloons and confetti falling from the sky when Davey Hilton defeated Dingaan Thobela. I was sitting beside Abe Pervin when David Lemieux defeated Hassan N’Dam, and I’m still impressed that my friend Nicolas Lespérance thought to chill champagne to celebrate Adonis Stevenson’s victory. A world championship is history unfolding before our eyes, the beginning of a reign. Thursday, it’s the Casino… later, the Slush Puppie Center and its 4500 seats. It will be grand, I’ve already started learning English to introduce myself in Gatineau.
“Vidal is a right-handed puncher with power, who has mostly fought at 154 pounds, where she has had her greatest successes. She comes from a family of boxers (Fabio Vidal, her father and coach, and Javier Vidal, her brother). Her reputation isn’t for being the fastest, but she usually utilizes her reach well, has decent defense, and knows how to throw combinations. She’s capable of brawling, but she also has good adaptability to box against her opponent. Her style should match up well with Vanessa’s,” explains Marie-Eve Albert, from the podcast 120 Seconds.
MY CRITIQUE
The only slight downside I have, because I have a history with boxing. This fight should have been a big finale, it’s a world championship… Imagine if it were 2 men fighting for the WBC heavyweight title, I don’t think there would be 2 fights to conclude the evening after.
The message behind VLJ is powerful: a serious car accident, depression, weight up to 320 pounds. Then one morning, not too proud of what she sees in the mirror, it’s a 180-degree turn that leads us to this world championship fight. Her story would make an excellent movie, I’m talking to Denis Villeneuve about it.
For the rest, check out the documentary on Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, read the articles about her extraordinary life, and subscribe to Punching Grace so you don’t miss anything this Thursday night.
