I’ve made plenty of prospect rankings in my life. In other sports, it was easy: Three or four names would always come up, the experts would agree, and we’d move on.
But now I’m putting together my very first Top 10 of Quebec boxing prospects. And honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this complicated.
I spoke with coaches, recruiters, former boxers, gym guys. Not two of them saw things the same way. Some talked to me about raw talent, others about mental toughness, others about discipline, or that “little something” you can’t really explain but instantly recognize when you see it.
And after listening to everyone, I ended up understanding one thing: Quebec is overflowing with hungry young boxers.Guys (and girls) training in the shadows, dreaming of shining under the bright lights, and ready to do whatever it takes to get there.
So here it is, without any pretension but with a good dose of passion, my first Top 10 Quebec boxing prospects.
It’s not an absolute truth. Not a ranking carved in stone. Just a snapshot of the moment, taken by someone who dreams of seeing arenas filled again for the sport, who follows it closely, and who firmly believes that the future of boxing in Quebec looks promising.
I’ve deliberately left out those who are already too close to a world championship fight. The goal here is to show you who will be at the top tomorrow.
Photo: IG – Osleys Iglesias
Osleys Iglesias, Arthur Biyarslanov, Dzmitry Asanau, those guys are already sitting in the waiting room for the big fights.
And the others, the officially ranked fighters… forget it, we can’t really put them in the “prospect” category anymore. In fact, I’ve got to hurry up and write this, because it’s probably only a matter of weeks before Wilkens Mathieu, Moreno Fendero and Jhon Orobio show up in the April rankings.
Champion of the Rankings
Tammara Thibeault (4–0, 3 KOs) finished first on every expert list I consulted. By 2028, she’ll be the unified champion at 160 pounds and is already a favorite to win at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
1 — Jhon Orobio (16–0, 14 KOs)
He’s the prodigy of Quebec boxing, and it’s easy to understand why Eye of the Tiger Management and The Ring Magazine see such a huge future for him. He’s only 22 years old, and his dedication to boxing is total. After leaving Colombia to settle here in Montreal, he’s done nothing but improve and destroy every challenge put in front of him, cutting through opponents at a pace comparable to many future world champions. He punches hard, he leaves absolutely nothing to chance in training, and he has that killer instinct… that little switch that flips inside him and takes him to another level, making him almost unstoppable for a moment.
Potential: Orobio will become a world champion and give us legendary fights against fighters like Teofimo Lopez, Richardson Hitchins, Adam Azim, and other prodigies in his division.
photo: IG – Jhon Orobio
2 — Wilkens Mathieu (15–0, 10 KOs)
The time has come for a major challenge and a finale at the Centre Vidéotron this coming June. Rumors are flying about who the opponent might be: Sergey Derevyanchenko, Kevin Lele Sadjo, Esquiva Falcao, or even Diego Pacheco… It’s such a huge possibility that I’d rather wait a bit before getting too excited.
He deserves the No. 2 spot in my prestigious rankings. He’s very intelligent and understands the sport of boxing extremely well. He punches hard, has the size, the speed, and one major asset… his trainer is a genius: Giuseppe Moffa. I’ve already said that, the Centre Vidéotron, if it never sees the return of the Quebec Nordiques, it will have been built for Wilkens Mathieu.
His Majesty Turki Alalshikh and The Ring magazine support his career. Being good is the first step, but to succeed in boxing you also need visibility and money. And having a magazine and a prince behind you certainly doesn’t hurt.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Wilkens Mathieu
3 — Omar Zaatiti Alieh (3–0, 3 KOs)
This choice is validated by none other than the legendary Robert Garcia and Hall of Famer Russ Anber. The story was shared on the podcast Le dernier round: Omar Alieh has sparred multiple times with Brandun Lee and left Robert Garcia completely impressed. The same thing happened when he sparred with Josh Taylor, where he performed so well that the Scots wanted to steal him and keep him for themselves.
His amateur experience plays a big role in his position in this ranking; he could win the 2028 Summer Olympics if he chooses to pursue both careers in parallel. A southpaw, a dangerous puncher, and skilled defensively, the kind of talent that doesn’t come around often in Quebec boxing. “Picasso” fights at 147 pounds, and his inspiration is Pernell Whitaker. Bonus: he’s trained by a technician I have great confidence in when it comes to guiding a prospect toward excellence.
Photo: Tapology – Omar Zaatiti Alieh
4-Derek Pomerleau (15-1, 11 KOs)
He lost his last fight against Dylan Biggs, but I’m not losing hope in the pride of Châteauguay. He has many assets: he punches hard, is gifted defensively and, this is important to me in a ranking, his trainer is Stéphan Larouche, who no longer has anything to prove when it comes to building a career toward a world championship.
I predict a bright future for “Slick,” and I know he’s already back in training to come back with a version 2.0 of his boxing. The experience gained in the Grand Prix Tournament is valuable and gives him a step ahead of many fighters in his division.
Bonus: he comes from a tight-knit family environment surrounded by good people.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Derek Pomerleau
5-Wyatt Sanford (6-0, 2 KOs)
The southpaw from Kennetcook checks every box to establish himself in my top 5. Everything is there: great amateur experience, an Olympic gold medal, and an international promoter in Eye of the Tiger Management. He does many things well—in fact, he does everything well: his active and precise jab, distance control, calculated lateral movement, even his pressure is progressive and intelligent. Even his 1–2 combinations are executed by the book with a safe exit.
To sum it up visually: he’s a mobile technician with controlled pressure and a high fight IQ.
He simply can’t miss as a professional.
Photo: Global News – Wyatt Sanford
6-Keoma Al-Ahmadieh & Marie Al-Ahmadieh
A rather unusual situation in a Top 10 of Quebec prospects: a brother-sister duo lands in the 6th spot; even more unusual, they are both Olympic boxers.
“Keoma Ali is the only amateur boxer in Canada that fighters have refused to face for more than $1,000 at a boxing event. He’s a boxer with a high IQ, very disciplined, who works extremely hard in the gym. You can compare him to a Lambo: he goes from 0 to 100 km/h in one second. Marie moves forward as if the ring already belongs to her. She has a presence that makes her opponents tremble, a predator’s energy. Her first round is like her last, always at 100%. She possesses a rare calm that you see in great female boxers.” — El-Mostafa Lyousfi
The rumor is that a Quebec promoter has already been chasing them since 2023, but the friendly duo wants to win two gold medals at the 2028 Summer Olympics before turning professional.
Photo: IG – Marie Al-Ahmadieh
7-Moreno Fendero (14-0, 10 KOs)
He’s brutal in the ring, but I believe he has that personality and charisma you simply can’t teach. With Moreno, you feel like you want him to become your best friend after seeing him smile on television just once.
He has the size, the amateur experience, Marc Ramsay in his corner, and a wide range of high-quality sparring partners in Montreal in his weight division. Now that he has the experience of 10-round fights against William Langston and Shawn McCalman, things should move very quickly for him. You almost forget he’s only 26 years old; another important detail, according to internal information, he’s reportedly the most complete athlete at Eye of the Tiger Management based on scientific testing.
He hits hard, is handsome as can be, and has the kind of charisma Quebec fans love to fall for. On top of that, he fights at 168 pounds, a division known for producing superstars and millionaires.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Moreno Fendero (à gauche)
8-Keven Beauséjour (2-0, 2 KOs)
“He perfectly represents the Gym The Corner school… beautiful to watch, effective, with excellent defense, a cold-blooded killer.” — El-Moustafa Lyousfi, trainer
Hot Sauce fights at 175 pounds; during his amateur career, I remember many people talking about him as a future world champion. 70 amateur fights, 4 national championships, and victories over Raphaël Courchesne and Lexson Mathieu. Keven isn’t a brawler or a classic boxer; he’s a prodigy who steps into the ring to hit without getting hit. His calm is legendary, his defense airtight, and he explodes at the right moment. Another product of Gym The Corner located in Rosemont, which makes me even prouder of my neighborhood. Eye of the Tiger Management has real expertise in the 175-pound division, which will also benefit the man who compares himself to a hot sauce.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Keven Beauséjour
9-Kirill Bazhenov (4-0, 1 KO)
“Kirill is an excellent prospect for several reasons. The fact that he is extremely disciplined, with both a European and Canadian amateur background. He has learned training techniques that he constantly applies in the gym. He has the technique, speed, and ring IQ. He has also served as a sparring partner for George Kambosos Jr..” — Matt Casavant from the podcast Le Dernier Round
It’s Ukrainian boxing science mixed with the aggressiveness and center-ring control that characterize the fighters from Ring 83. I placed him 9th because he’s still physically slender and the transition to the pros seems less obvious for his boxing style. But I can understand why: he arrived here alone, coming from a country at war. That must be destabilizing.
I’m betting on several key factors to consider him a huge prospect: the presence of a high-level trainer, Russ Anber and Matt Casavant in his circle, his extensive amateur experience in Ukraine, and his personality. He seems ready to work and pay the price in training. The rest will follow: physical maturity and adaptation to professional boxing.
Photo: IG – Kirill Bazhenov (à droite)
Photo: IG – Alessia Mansueto
Author’s Reflection
I claim that boxing has never been as healthy as it currently is in Quebec, even if the public is hard to get seated during boxing nights.
EOTTM has 25 fighters under contract, more than fifteen of whom are in the rankings and already fighting in 10-round bouts.
GYM wants to hold 7 events in 2026 and seems to have an agreement with Rival Boxing and Ring 83 to keep their fighters active. With Barrière, Akdeniz and Loïck Lahaie, who could very well have broken into my ranking as well. It’s intriguing to see whether Yvon Michel can pull off another comeback when many thought he was finished.
NEW ERA will announce three dates and is investing to launch Guillaume Gosselin, who has the mustache and the charisma. If Derek Pomerleau ever fights for him, Yan Pellerin will also launch a few careers.
So if I do the math, that’s about 40 professional boxers who have connections with a Quebec promoter. Not counting Clavel, Thibeault, Veyre, who have a foreign promoter, or Germain and Houle, who enjoy independent status.
We are living through the greatest era of Quebec boxing.
