6:45 a.m.
JF goes down to get an espresso for Leila before she enters the final stretch: dehydration. At this stage, every detail matters. An espresso isn’t a luxury—it’s a tool. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, slightly increases metabolism and energy expenditure, while temporarily suppressing appetite. A small, strategic boost, used at the right moment, to help the body finish the job.
Photo: Samuel Décarie-Drolet – morning in Miami…
7:00 a.m.
JF arrives in Leila’s room. She says nothing. She smiles.
Silent victory.
Leila lost 1.7 lb overnight.
7:15 a.m.
The process begins. We pushed it back as late as possible. Less time dehydrated means more control, more safety, more mental clarity.
Leila is with JS and JF.
I’m confident.
I go out for a run.
This morning, my running partners are Mathieu Casavant and Anthony Rudman, EOTTM’s lawyer. A partner at the firm Dentons, Mr. Rudman excels in business law and sports law. He arrived the night before, the travel still in his body. But at 7:30 a.m., he’s there, right on time, running with us.
Respect.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Camille Estephan, Antonin Décarie and Anthony Rudman
After the run, I join Leila.
She’s happy. She’s singing at the top of her lungs while DJ JS tries to keep control of the playlist. She knows: the hardest part is almost behind her.
130.0 lb.
On our scale.
Heading to the official weigh-in.
Paperwork. Waiting. Formalities.
Photo: Esther Lin / MVP – Leïla Beaudoin and Samuel Décarie-Drolet during the glove selection…
It’s heavy, but it’s a necessary rite of passage.
Then comes the moment of truth.
In front of the commission.
The stress.
The surgical precision of the number.
The stern faces of the officials.
Then… everyone breathes again.
Everyone makes weight.
Leila goes to eat with the team.
Anthony and I stay for the rules meeting.
Major announcement.
Nakisa speaks: a $100,000 USD performance bonus for the fight—or the fighter—of the night.
Photo: Esther Lin / MVP – Leïla Beaudoin and, to the left, Nikisa Bidarian… and Samuel Décarie-Drolet
This will motivate many.
But Leila doesn’t need a bonus to perform.
This is the fight of her life.
After the meeting: glove selection.
Simple. Clear. Smooth.
I join the team. We go to eat.
Leila has already drunk. Already eaten.
She’s still hungry.
She eats again.
Good sign.
Once satisfied, she goes upstairs to rest.
Clear instruction: no one disturbs her before 3:30 p.m.
Hydration and snacks are perfectly timed. She has the schedule. She follows the plan.
1:00 p.m.
Antonin Décarie, my cousin and EOTTM’s general manager, finally arrives. Long flight, layover, early departure. Tired, but genuinely happy to be here.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Antonin Décarie
4:00 p.m.
We gather in Leila’s room.
We leave together.
Upon our arrival at The Fillmore Miami Beach / Jackie Gleason Theatre, VADA is waiting for us.
Fourth test of the camp. Another one tomorrow.
I hope Alycia will be tested just as much… or even more, given her past issues that now belong to history.
I’m told that both have been tested the same number of times.
Photo: Samuel Décarie-Drolet – Leïla Beaudoin with the VADA official…
6:00 p.m.
The ceremonial weigh-in begins in the same theater, steeped in history.
The show starts.
Leila steps onto the platform.
She rises.
Pause.
Baumgardner does the same.
The platforms come down.
Final face-off.
The crowd leans in, attentive, fully present.
The energy is there—alive, electric. You feel the excitement build, the kind that comes during big moments, when everyone senses that something special is about to happen.
The noise fades to a background murmur.
The moment is calm, almost still. Two athletes face each other, solid, grounded, aware of the work they’ve done.
No words are needed. But Alycia is talkative, as usual. She tries to unsettle Leila. It doesn’t work. In a single sentence, Leila brings Baumgardner back into respect.
Alycia: Are you ready? Are you ready? I hope you’re ready!
Leila: We are ready!
Alycia: You’re right, WE are ready! Co-main event, baby!
Now, everything is conveyed through the eyes: respect, trust, the certainty of being exactly in the right place, at the right time. Their eyes communicate what words cannot.
At that exact moment, the message is clear.
The work is done.
It’s time to perform.
After the weigh-in, we go back to eat. Together.
The energy is good.
Leila is focused.
Photo: Esther Lin / MVP – Alycia Baumgardner and Leïla Beaudoin…
