On December 11, professional boxing comes home… to the Outaouais region! And in the main event of the big gala, in front of his own people, Buckingham native Alexandre Gaumont is preparing to take the most important step of his young professional career.
A pure product of the Outaouais—shaped in local gyms and supported by a tight-knit family—Gaumont arrives at this moment with the ambition to fully embrace his role as the headliner. For him, this fight is more than a date on a calendar: it is the culmination of his early years in the sport, with all their highs, doubts, and the anxiety he has learned to tame.
It only took a few hours for Alexandre Gaumont to sell out all available tickets at the Casino du Lac-Leamy for his showdown with the formidable Swiss boxer Ramadan Hiseni. The formula of the local fighter, deeply rooted in his community and involved in a matchup where even I can’t confidently make a prediction, is one that has proven successful.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Alexandre Gaumont
At 30 years old, this fight marks a turning point for “King Cogne”: his first main event, and more importantly, the beginning of the next phase of his professional career—one where the record is no longer protected, and where every opponent is dangerous and capable of winning.
Gatineau and Its Boxing Culture
If I had to draw a parallel between three generations of Gatineau boxers—Gaétan Hart, Pascal Villeneuve, and Alexandre Gaumont—I would use three words: work, humility, and toughness.
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse became a world champion, and soldier Danyk Croteau also had a fine career.
Since March, two schools in Gatineau have been offering the sports-study boxing program. The project is led by coach Romi El-Ghourani.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Alexandre Gaumont
Laurent, Alex and Saint-Joseph-du-Lac
It was Vincent Tremblay who first told me about Alexandre Gaumont:
“He just knocked out 16 in a row, his KO rate is at 80% in the amateurs.”
My friend Vincent couldn’t stop praising him.
That’s when we started a lobbying campaign that continued until Gaumont was signed by Eye of the Tiger Management. Vincent and I called Camille Estephan—sometimes even at night—to talk to him about King Cogne. The Boxingtown Québec podcast ran for three years, and we never missed a chance to promote the Gatineau boxer’s candidacy.
Then, we lost sight of him. Severe anxiety issues slowed his career.
I’ve lived with anxiety too. It’s violent, paralyzing, irrational, embarrassing… you lock yourself in your room, you stop breaking down doors… You retreat into a comfort zone that shrinks day by day. Alex Gaumont could no longer endure pre-fight anxiety: the lights, the spectators’ eyes.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Alexandre Gaumont
I waited eight years before talking to my doctor about it. Like Gaumont, medication is what neutralized my anxiety enough to start living again.
Then he started performing again. Better sleep and normal stress levels help. I rediscovered him one night in February 2020, when he defeated Christopher Guerrero in Saint-Joseph-du-Lac. Several recruiters were there. It was one of his last tests before turning professional.
After the fight, I sat down with King Cogne. I opened up about my anxiety. I told him he wasn’t alone and that there was nothing to be ashamed of. A solid conversation between two men who understood each other, despite meeting for the first time.
Success in the Pros
My friend Vincent Tremblay told me that King Cogne owes his development as a pro to the countless hours he spends watching TV. Yes, you read that right. Gaumont is a student of boxing. He can spend endless hours studying professional fighters—he and his father devour boxing matches. He analyzes every detail of the best fighters in the world, both past and present.
Despite a few injuries that slowed him down, Gaumont now finds himself at 30 years old with a record of 13–0, including 9 wins by knockout. For his first 10-round fight, he faces Ramadan Hiseni, a Swiss boxer who went the distance with Shamiil Khataev and who has sparred in training camps with Osleys Iglesias.
“You don’t go to war with a Swiss Army knife.” —Marcellin Gaumont, trainer and father.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Alexandre Gaumont
Noé Cloutier told me he had the chance to attend a promotional event with Alex Gaumont at the Gatineau Olympiques game and still can’t get over the night he witnessed:
“Gaumont is a rockstar over there. People were lining up for a photo. He held babies and signed autographs all night.”
—Noé Cloutier
(Okay, he didn’t say it exactly like that, but EOTTM posted photos that prove it.)
And What’s Next?
What comes next for Alexandre Gaumont—and his potential—is still unclear. Could he be part of a possible trilogy with Steven Butler? Or will EOTTM want to try the international route with him?
Part of the answer will come with his performance on December 11.
Photo: Dominic Charette – Alexandre Gaumont
On the Podcast
“King Cogne’s” sister, Marie-Soleil Gaumont, also had a career in amateur boxing. Their father, Marcellin Gaumont, taught them the fundamentals of the noble art.
Gatineau is full of musical talent—my favorites are D-Track, Nicholas Craven, and Bozko.
In boxing, Kazakhstan has a huge reputation for producing great fighters. In 2025 in Gatineau, it’s a Kazakh goalie who is making people dream—Danai Shaiikov is phenomenal in goal for the Gatineau Olympiques.
