Some time ago, French-born boxer Moreno Fendero asked me a simple question, almost trivial at first glance: “Will you ever write an article about why French boxers come to Montreal?”
But the question didn’t stop there.
It opened the door to a long conversation. A real discussion, without filters, where he explained why he had made that choice. Why he had left his country. And above all, what that departure was bringing him… as well as all those who dare to make the same leap.
Very quickly, one sentence stayed with me.
“Before, I used to collect sports medals… and as a soldier, honors.
Yet I chose another path: to place a world champion belt around my neck and be recognized by the boxing world.”
Because leaving, in this sport as in life, is never insignificant.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Moreno Fendero
Leaving your country, leaving behind your family, your reference points, everything you have built, in order to rebuild somewhere else… requires a kind of courage that few people possess.
Why Montreal?
The need for a change of scenery… and a new school
According to Moreno, even before talking about opportunities, there is this deep need for renewal.
Changing environments means changing perspective. Discovering another way of boxing. Another school. Another way of thinking about the sport.
France remains a huge breeding ground for boxing, particularly in Olympic boxing. The amateur system there is very strong, structured, and effective.
But he also explained another reality of this system: everyone knows each other. Everyone has faced each other. The paths are often already mapped out.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Moreno Fendero (left)
At some point, some feel the need to step outside that framework in order to keep evolving and see further.
The glass ceiling of professionalism in France
This is where his explanation becomes even more concrete.
Today, professional boxing in France struggles to offer a truly stable environment for development.
There are few strong and reliable promoters. Broadcasters struggle to get involved. And above all, there seems to be little or no financial security.
Moreno spoke to me about that constant uncertainty, but also about the difficulty of building something sustainable.
Montreal: a deliberate choice, not a coincidence
When he talks about Montreal, the pugilist isn’t talking about a spur-of-the-moment decision.
He’s talking about a choice.
“When I signed with Eye of the Tiger, I knew it would be a long road. At 23, convincing my loved ones wasn’t easy. But they have always respected my decisions.
My coach in France had complete trust in Marc Ramsay and his team. The work they did with Christian Mbilli was incredible… it’s on that foundation that I was able to build my career.”
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Mark Ramsay and Moreno Fendero
Here, he explained that he found what had been missing elsewhere: stability, direction, and vision.
And he’s not the only one. Other boxers like him, or Jhon Orobio, have made the same bet.
Leaving the nest… to fly higher
What often comes up in his words is this idea of a necessary break.
“Just like Jacques Cartier landed in Quebec in 1534, Jhon and I also arrived in this new world in 2023.
You have to learn to manage on your own, discover new stores, adapt to a new life and a new language.
That’s when you grow faster than expected.”
Leaving the family nest isn’t just about changing countries. It’s also about changing dimensions.
You learn to redefine yourself, you must ignore certain distractions, and you must become fully responsible for your own path.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Moreno Fendero
You’re never truly alone
But in that leap into the unknown, there are also encounters that change everything.
“I had the chance to meet Jhon Orobio, ‘la poule mouillée,’ who helped me tremendously with this adaptation.
Sometimes we think we move forward better alone, without having anyone else to deal with. But in reality, when there are two of you, you move faster and become stronger. I owe him a lot.
Sharing this dream together means less loneliness and more strength.”
In a sport as individual as boxing, that solidarity becomes an invisible weapon. It helps win many fights, not just the ones inside the ring.
An environment that changes everything
In Montreal, he described much more than just a gym.
He talked about a structured environment, a complete team ranging from strength coaches to physiotherapists… a well-designed framework built for performance.
Photo: IG – Jhon Orobio, Arslanbek Makhmudov and Moreno Fendero
And that changes everything.
Feeling far away… without really being
And despite the distance, there is a sense of familiarity. When I brought up the question, he told me he felt like he was following in the footsteps of Samuel de Champlain, under the reign of Henry IV. He spoke about the language being more familiar (than if he had gone to the United States), about the culture… even the open-mindedness.
You are far away… but not completely uprooted.
Leaving to rediscover yourself
Ultimately, what Moreno made me understand is that this choice goes beyond boxing.
Leaving to rebuild yourself is a personal journey.
Going far away… to get closer to yourself and your goals. Goals of performance, but also goals you want to achieve as a man.
And along this journey, one truth becomes clear: you don’t just become a better boxer.
You become a better version of yourself.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Moreno Fendero and his team
I often think about the idea that words are sometimes more powerful than weapons.
But in Moreno’s case, I feel it differently: a boxing glove is stronger than weapons.
