“I love this city, even though I wasn’t born here.”
— Jean-Paul L’Allier, Mayor of Quebec City
Like Quebec City’s former mayor, who served from 1989 to 2005, if my memory serves me right, I love everything about Quebec City: the famous fried chicken at Dixie Lee, NSPW wrestling and Marko Estrada, talk radio, the Vegas sports bar. Even my next girlfriend lives in Quebec City… her name is Nadia.
When it comes to boxing, you know me: I don’t watch fights to be entertained, or while flipping over to the other channel between Canadiens periods. I watch a card to find out whether Marc Ramsay is right when he puts Osleys Iglesias and Artur Beterbiev in the same sentence. To see whether Leïla Beaudoin is progressing and can dream of facing the champions in her division again — and doing even better. To find out whether Wilkens Mathieu really is the best prospect in the world: at 21, has he already reached the point where he can play around with the elite? An opponent like Vladimir Shishkin is exactly the kind of test that can provide an answer. And what a treat, this clash of tigers: Luis Santana versus Dzmitry Asanau.
With my head full of questions, I sit down in front of my TV.
Photo: IG – Daylen Pépin
Daylen Pépin
Daylen Pépin puts on quite a show every time EOTTM calls on him: he sells plenty of tickets and gets better with every fight. Bring him back!
Asanau-Santana
One fighter had to lose his undefeated record, and Dzmitry Asanau won by a comfortable decision.
Sure, there’s distance control, footwork, technique… but sending him straight into a world title fight would be dangerous, if not downright foolish. He takes far too many punches because he keeps his hands low — if I noticed it, Samuel Décarie-Drolet noticed it too. Both men have work to do in the gym.
This is a win that leaves the author of these lines with more doubts and concerns than reassurance.
Photo: Jeff Lockhart – Luis Santana vs Dzmitry Asanau
Imam Khataev in 69 seconds
The champions won’t give him his shot. It’s up to the EOTTM team to make things happen and find him a world championship fight.
Even ahead of Lauren Price and Keyshawn Davis, Imam Khataev is the best boxer to emerge from the 2020 Olympic Games — and that’s quite an achievement.
After the card, Camille Estephan was humming “Je reviendrai à Québec,” his own take on Robert Charlebois’s famous song. The head of EOTTM has already booked the Centre Vidéotron twice for 2027. Who knows? Maybe I’ll have moved to Quebec City by then, just in time for his two boxing events.
Photo: IG – Imam Khataev
Leïla got the job done
I’ll tell you the truth: Leïla’s opponent didn’t make much sense as a matchup, but she was apparently proposed or required by the WBA for an interim title defense. The champion hit her to the body so much that she might be hurting just trying to fasten her seat belt on the plane ride home.
My friend Leïla needed to prove to the WBA, EOTTM, and the other reigning champions in her division that she’s ready to return to world championship-level competition. Baumgardner 2 or Stephanie Han — Leïla has proved she’s ready.
Photo: IG – Leïla Beaudoin vs Briza Alfonzo
Wilkens Mathieu worked hard
And that’s the best news possible: he’s still only 21, he’s being called the best prospect to emerge from FQBO since Jean Pascal, and he needs just one thing — plenty of rounds.
But if I were EOTTM, I’d give him the rest of the year off and come back with a rematch against Vladimir Shishkin next February… after a split decision, it’s practically a must.
I was surprised by judge De Carufel’s score — watching at home, I had Mathieu winning 96-94.
He still has a lot to learn, but he did some very good things on the counterattack and defensively. I’m very curious to see how EOTTM handles what comes next.
Photo: IG – Wilkens Mathieu vs Vladimir Shishkin
Osleys Iglesias rearranged his face
Cuban boxing at its most surgical, but with a Cuban who hits hard — very hard. Osleys defeated Oliver Zaren without difficulty, and he made no secret of his ambitions at the press conference: he wants the winner of Canelo-Mbilli or Jaime Munguia. The hunt for belts is on, and nobody is safe.
How did this guy end up here in Quebec? We’re incredibly lucky to have him.
On the podcast
Louis-Philippe Guy’s soothing voice was a wonderful gift from TVA Sports. And Michel Hamelin didn’t crack a smile.
Photo: IG – Osleys Iglesias vs Oliver Zaren
