There are boxers who move fast.
And there are those who move well.
Wilkens Mathieu belongs to the second category, with one important nuance: he moves well while being spectacular. And that is precisely why he must be managed intelligently.
When I put myself in the skin of the manager, I am not looking for short-term hype or sensationalism. I’m looking for coherence. Logical progression. A cold reading of talent, market, and timing. At the end of the day, there is also a business side, and the investment has to become profitable.
With Wilkens Mathieu, the watchword is simple: one step at a time, without ever suffocating what makes him attractive to fans.
THE PROFILE
The boxer from the Old Capital, Wilkens Mathieu, is not an ordinary boxer.
Tall, long, composed, he can box at distance as well as impose himself physically. He understands what he’s doing and, above all, he does it well.
Wilkens is naturally spectacular. He doesn’t need to overdo it. His boxing is fluid, his punches are clean, his control of the ring is clear. Fans understand what they’re watching — and they like it.
That’s a quality that must be cultivated, not restrained.
Because a boxer who is too cautious becomes invisible. And an invisible boxer, even a talented one, doesn’t move forward. My role as an imaginary manager is therefore clear:
-to make him progress
-to make him win
-to make him known
A boxer who progresses while delivering interesting fights quickly becomes a marketable product. And a marketable product gets better opportunities.
Photo: EOTTM – Wilkens Mathieu vs Shakeel Phinn
Ideally, I would like to make Wilkens Mathieu a sort of Lucian Bute, the darling of Quebec fans.
THE CONTEXT
Wilkens competes in a division where the pool of Quebec-based opponents available to face him is limited, but where the international market is rich with useful profiles. Solid boxers, imperfect, sometimes dangerous; exactly the kind of opponents who forge a true professional capable of lasting over time.
No question of padding a record.
No question either of throwing him to the wolves.
We build. And we build with full awareness of the image we are creating.
FIGHT 1: THE CRAFTY VETERAN
Mathieu’s last fight against Shakeel Phinn was already moving in this direction. Phinn has shown in the past, notably against Erik Bazinyan, that he knows how to complicate life for a favorite.
But I would aim one notch higher. One notch more uncomfortable.
A seasoned veteran, with too many rounds under his belt to panic, but not enough legs left to dominate. A boxer who breaks rhythm, clinches, talks, cheats just enough to test mental discipline.
In the vein of:
-Gabriel Rosado (28-17-1, 16 KO)
-Vaughn Alexander (19-18-2, 12 KO)
-Derrick Findley (36-31-1, 25 KO)
Photo: Democrat and Chronicle – Gabriel Rosado vs Willie Monroe Jr
Clear objective:
See whether Wilkens can impose his Plan A without losing his composure or his identity when resistance shows up.
A close decision win or a late stoppage: both do the job.
What matters is what he learns — and what the public sees.
FIGHT 2: THE IMPERFECT PUNCHER
Next, we need real danger.
The ideal fight would be against Steven Butler, but I’d be surprised if that matchup actually happens.
So we need a boxer with a heavy hand, obvious flaws, but a real ability to change a fight in a fraction of a second.
Why?
Because Wilkens must learn to respect power without fearing it, to remain spectacular without becoming reckless.
This is the fight where the corner works just as much as the boxer.
Where every round becomes a lesson in risk management.
Credible options:
-Abraham Gabriel Buonarrigo (15-5, 12 KO)
-Aaron Silva (16-1, 13 KO)
-Raul Isaias Salomon Pantoja (15-3-1, 13 KO)
Photo: Linkedin – Aaron Silva vs Alexis Espino
If he passes this test, we begin to know exactly what we have, both sportingly and commercially.
FIGHT 3: THE MIRROR
The fight I love as a manager.
Roughly the same age.
Roughly the same size.
Comparable record.
Not a star. Not a stepping stone. A mirror.
A hungry young prospect who wants to prove that he is the one who deserves to flirt with the big stages.
This kind of fight never lies. It reveals the true level, the real ceiling, and above all the appetite for what comes next.
Profiles like:
-Eric Murgia (19-1, 16 KO)
-Junior Younan (22-0-1, 14 KO)
-Da’Velle Smith (14-0, 9 KO)
Photo: Da’Velle smith vs William Townsel
It’s after this fight that we decide whether Wilkens is still in a development phase… or if he’s ready to be projected onto bigger stages.
THE PHILOSOPHY
With Wilkens Mathieu, the worst mistake would be trying to move too fast.
The best decision is to make him unavoidable.
An intelligent, spectacular, well-supported, and well-matched boxer always ends up forcing doors open.
Not through scandal.
Not through shortcuts.
CONCLUSION: TIME WELL INVESTED
In the skin of the manager, I don’t sell empty promises.
I sell time well used and profitable progression.
Wilkens Mathieu has something that many don’t:
-The ability to last
-The intelligence to become a true boxing product
In boxing, lasting is already winning.
But lasting while attracting fans — that’s winning twice.
