The American dream of Baptiste Cheval, boxing champion in New York

The boxer from Condé-en-Normandie Baptiste Cheval decided to make a name for himself in the United States to become professional. New champion of the city of New York, he does not intend to stop there and tells us about his pride, but also his struggles…

“It puts a lump in my stomach to come back here”. Fighting to get out of it, Baptiste Cheval is used to it, he has not forgotten the tortuous path taken. “The day I turned 18, I came here, to the (Lemoine) factory. And I had promised myself not to work there anymore when I left for New York… God reminded me of ‘humility”.

This first trip to the United States was a great uppercut. Touch your dream, but face reality after three months there: “I was financially dry, I had to return to France and fill the fridge while working in the factory, but also on construction sites.” No knockout, but his pride undoubtedly took a hit at the time.

Her guard is sometimes down, but when she goes, it’s dazzling!

Christian Gauquelin

President of the Condé-en-Normandie boxing club

No matter, the 26-year-old young man (five defeats in around sixty fights) has not given up. “The real KO, I only had it once, as a kid, in training, it stings! In my fights since, I have sometimes had black holes after a blow, but with the survival instinct, you hang in there.”

In any case, this Norman has never had the habit of doing things like everyone else. “His guard is sometimes down, but when she goes, it’s dazzling. He’s impressive!” Christian Gauquelin, the president of the local boxing club in Condé-en-Normandie, has known Baptiste since he was 12 and he adores him. Alain Robbe, his first trainer too: “he boxed naturally, and I found it beautiful. We did a few educational matches, and the coaches told me, Alain, make him raise his arms, and I said no no no, it’s his nature, he decided to box like that On the other hand, he has eyesight… He’s an eagle, oh my…”

The eagle quickly resumed its flight. Second trip to the other side of the Atlantic, but this time, with experience. On site, he gives boxing lessons, and gets noticed on social networks, thanks to a few videos with influencers (Thibo Inshape in particular), and MMA personalities (Benoît Saint-Denis and Conor McGregor), this new sport combat that has become a global phenomenon.

Boxing is a spectator sport. We need to make people want to move around. I performed internationally, that’s not what brought me sponsors, it was social media!

Baptiste Cheval

New York boxing champion

During his second American stay, Baptiste Cheval hoped to have his chance. She came unexpectedly. “I was coming out of three months of intensive preparation, but I remained a no name, unclassified.” Unknown there, he had to prove more, “be twice as tough”, show that he had his place among the local elite, “every time [il] put on the gloves.”

In any case, it’s impossible not to be inspired when you enter a training room where Mike Tyson and Mohamed Ali cut their teeth! “The Gleasons Gym is a museum in addition to being a venue.”

And then, a fighter withdrew and “I was asked to take this fight at the last minute. In front of me, the guy was a hitman, the number 2 in New York.”

The Norman middleweight (-75 kg) went there without any hesitation, and above all tried not to be surprised by the trash-talking widely used there, even in training. “The guys taunt you during the fight. They will talk to you, try to distract you in fact so that you get out of the fight and to take the psychological advantage. You have to stay focused, ignore that kind of thing.” Some even smile or dance to provoke…

I see this finale on repeat in my head. It’s a consecration, a source of pride, there have been a lot of sacrifices to get this far, a lot of difficult steps to take.

In the wake of this city title, Baptiste Cheval continued with a tournament, the USA boxing metro, which he won by taking the scalp of New York number 1. “Some people downplayed my New York belt, because I hadn’t faced the best who was injured. So it was important to me to beat him too.”

And he doesn’t plan to stop there. “It’s one of the dreams that came true, but it’s only the first.” There are plenty of others…

Undefeated on American soil, the Norman will return to defend his title on the other side of the Atlantic, after returning this winter for the birth of his son. He hopes to get his family there quickly. “I’m a little hillbilly from Condé who got away with it.”