(Laval) Kim Clavel and Evelin Bermudez had no trouble making weight for their light flyweight world championship fight on Friday. But Sébastien Bouchard was dragging an extra chain!
Clavel (17-1, 3 KOs) swung the scale at 107.8 pounds; Bermudez, at 106.6. The limit was obviously set at 108 pounds for this duel in which the 26-year-old Argentine will put her International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) titles on the line.
The 33-year-old Montrealer is the No. 1 contender in these two associations. Clavel also appears second among contenders for the World Boxing Council (WBC) title, just behind Bermudez. This belt – like that of the World Boxing Association (WBA) – has belonged to Yesica Nery Plata since she beat Clavel on January 13.
It was more “arduous” for Sébastien Bouchard (20-2-1, 9 KOs). His initial weight was announced at 147.2 pounds while his clash for the vacant WBC welterweight title against Mazum Akdeniz (18-0, 8 KOs) is scheduled to occur at 147 pounds.
The journalists on site waited patiently for officials from the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux to bring him a towel so that he could remove his underwear, as is usually the case. But Bouchard instead remembered that he was wearing a heavy gold chain around his neck!
The flashy piece of jewelry, courtesy of a Quebec jeweler who sponsored Bouchard, was worth, it is fair to say, its weight in gold: the weight of the 36-year-old pugilist then dropped to 146.4 pounds!
Akdeniz, meanwhile, posted a weight of 146.8 pounds, without needing to remove anything.
Marie-Pier Houle (8-1-1, 2 KOs) has decided to make a transition from welterweight to super lightweight.
The 33-year-old boxer, who lost the WBO world championship to Sandy Ryan in her last outing, found herself at a bit of a disadvantage in the ring as her opponents more often than not found themselves much heavier than she at 147 pounds, a division where she had no difficulty making her weight cut.
She therefore decided to look at 140 pounds, where she believes there could be great developments for the rest of her career.
It was a successful start for her, as she easily made the weight, at 138.4 pounds. Her opponent, Cindy Reyes Espinoza (4-1) met the limit at 140 pounds.
Unfortunately for him, light heavyweight Terry Osias (12-0, 6 K. -O.) saw his fight removed from the card presented at Place Bell on Saturday, since his Mexican opponent was unable to free himself for make the trip to Montreal.
Like most boxers, Mexican or otherwise, the latter must work in addition to boxing and he would not have obtained leave from his employer in order to be able to participate in the event.
There are therefore seven fights in total which will be presented, including two amateur fights. One of them will feature Arturo Gatti Jr. The first shots will be exchanged starting at 7 p.m.
