Fendero made life harder for himself after his difficult outing against the lanky William Langston: he asked EOTTM to line up an even tougher opponent to prove he’s ready for anything.
Shawn McCalman made Diego Pacheco look ordinary. He has a long reach, can switch from orthodox to southpaw, and his jab is world-class. He’s the type of opponent who forces a boxer to think every time he steps into range.
Even though the fight was closely contested, I scored it 97–93 for Moreno Fendero. At no point was he in real danger or caught clean to the head. All the explosive bursts and power attacks belonged to him in this fight. Usually, opponents like McCalman show up much later in a fighter’s career.
“The deeper you go into the forest, the more wood there is.” — Russian proverb
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Moreno Fendero vs Shawn McCalman
I love the way Moreno Fendero’s career is taking shape before our eyes. Like a true soldier, he quickly asked to face solid opposition. In boxing in 2026, that’s not really the usual approach—taking on two such good fighters so early in a career. These days, records are protected, danger is avoided, and résumés are carefully built. EOTTM has a more old-school vision and wants to quickly find out what its fighters are really made of.
I also liked the work of my mentor Noé Cloutier in promoting Moreno Fendero. His military outfit, decorated with medals earned in battle, his appearances on Salut Bonjour and with Jean-Charles Lajoie. The articles in L’Écho républicain, L’Équipe, and Boxing Scene. DAZN France even bought the fight, and TVA Sports aired it in prime time at 6:30 p.m.
Moreno is a lovable guy. He has an engaging personality that will appeal to the Quebec public. In professional boxing, talent matters—but the ability to connect with fans is often what turns a good fighter into a real attraction.
Photo: Boxing Scene – Jaime Munguia vs Bruno Surace
If I had to choose, I’d trade my role as a writer for that of a matchmaker. I can easily picture myself putting together boxing cards. I’d make sure the stories tell themselves. Yesterday, Moreno Fendero made his debut on DAZN France, so let’s give our friends there what they want.
Kevin Lele Sadjo (27–1, 24 KOs) has been wasting time for the past few years. Let’s give him a fight at the Centre Vidéotron against his countryman.
Let’s stay in France: Bruno Surace knocked out Jaime Munguia with a single punch in 2024, but he hasn’t really ridden that wave since. He’s the same age as Fendero, he’s French too, and he’s very well ranked. I even have an option if Eye of the Tiger Management wants to stay in the United States. Darius Fulghum (14-1-1, 12 KOs) put Bektemir Melikuzievthrough hell last May.
Moreno Fendero may not have dominated Shawn McCalman, but he passed a test that many prospects wouldn’t even dare accept. And in boxing, that’s often worth more than an easy win.
Photo: Steven Butler vs Ramadan Hiseni
On the podcast:
Camille Estephan now has 168 new problems on his hands. Wilkens Mathieu is now ranked by the World Boxing Council, Moreno Fendero just captured the WBC Continental Americas title and can expect to be ranked soon. Steven Butler is working his way back into the rankings. As you already know, Christian M’Billi is the WBC champion and Osleys Iglesias will become the International Boxing Federation champion. That’s starting to be a lot of people to keep happy at the same time. It’s a good problem to have.
Jhon Orobio is an animal. The right hand he used to flatten Yomar Alamo in the fifth round is making the rounds on every SportsCenter across the world. He handled the Puerto Rican veteran far more efficiently than Richardson Hitchins, Jamaine Ortiz, and Liam Paro did… and he did it at just 22 years old.
With Orobio, the question isn’t if he’ll become a champion… it’s how many titles he’ll win in his career.
Jai Opetaia just vacated his IBF title to take part in a publicity move with Zuffa Promotions and their belt, which I personally think is ugly. Lenar Perez is ranked No. 11 by the IBF. Bring in Mike Perez (No. 9 IBF) or even American Robin Safar (No. 10 IBF) for a fight for the vacant No. 2 contender spot, and I guarantee our new gem Lenar Perez will be world champion before the end of the year.
