We knew that Tammara Thibeault was going to fight her first professional fight on a Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) card. Now, the box of promoter, boxer and influencer Jake Paul has made the Quebecer one of its official boxers.
MVP, which includes Puerto Rican Amanda Serrano in its ranks, announced Friday that Thibeault was joining its team.
Originally from Shawinigan, the 27-year-old boxer made her professional debut a few hours later, at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, against the Canadian Natasha Spence (8-7-2, 6 KOs), ranked 10th contender in the title of the World Boxing Association (WBA) averages.
Thibeault (1-0) and Spence became the first women to compete in three-minute rounds at middleweight, among professionals. And for the occasion, Thibeault totally dominated the four-round clash, hitting the target 61 times compared to only 14 for his opponent.
Thibeault received a perfect score of 40-36 from all three judges.
“I’m so proud of her, she made history tonight, she is the future of women’s boxing,” said Jake Paul in the ring after the fight.
“I’m super happy, I’m really excited,” she told The Canadian Press in a telephone interview. This is the first time in history that this has happened in a professional debut and it is an honor to be part of history like this. For me, it’s the norm: I’ve been doing three minutes for years. »
Thibeault represented Canada at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Paris. After reaching the quarter-finals of 75 kg in Tokyo, in 2021, the big favorite of the Paris tournament was surprised in her first fight, losing by split decision to Cindy Winner Djankeu Ngamba, of the Refugee Olympic team.
The defeat ended a three-year streak in which she won gold medals at the 2022 IBA World Amateur Championships, 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 Pan American Games.
Notwithstanding this unexpected setback at the Olympics, negotiations were well underway with MVP.
“I’ve been negotiating with MVP for about a year. Regardless of the result at the Olympics, MVP was interested, said his manager, Katia Banel. I saw [le directeur de la division boxe chez MVP] Mike Leanardi a few months ago and another time before we made our decision.
“Compared to other offers, whether it was Matchroom or Boxxer, it was their first offer that was always the highest monetarily and they were the ones who presented it first. They offered something that is incomparable: a huge signing bonus. Olympians without medals do not have access to this type of bonus. They also offer the biggest paydays in women’s boxing, even for four or six rounds. This is unheard of. It’s like you’re getting paid for a 10 rounder. »
MVP intends to get the most out of his new protégé, who will box a minimum of four times a year for the three years that the contract initialed on Friday lasts.
“The good thing about MVP is that we can negotiate the purses upwards for each fight,” Banel said. They were very open about the negotiation of each of the clauses. »
England, USA and… Quebec?
Thibeault recently moved to Sheffield, England, where she is completing a master’s degree in design and urban planning at the University of Sheffield after completing her bachelor’s degree in urban studies at Concordia University. There, she trained under Pierce Gudgeon at Steel City Gym.
However, it is an entirely Quebec corner that will accompany him on Friday in Orlando, while Vincent Auclair, his coach for the last two years, will replace Gudgeon at short notice. He will be accompanied by Samuel Décarie-Drolet.
“As Pierce’s partner has just given birth, he was not available, that’s why Vincent will be there,” said Thibeault, who does not consider negotiating his life in England and representing a promoter who, for now, working mostly in the United States will be a problem.
“For now I’m here. But we will see, because my priority is my mastery. When I have a decision to make, it will happen when it happens. »
MVP is used to organizing large — very large! events! — deployment, something we haven’t seen in boxing in Quebec for several years. Can we still hope to see Thibeault fight in Quebec or Canada soon?
“But yes! But yes! But yes!, Banel exclaimed on the other end of the line. This is very important and it has been discussed. Already, they have [l’Ontarien] Lucas Bahdi under contract and now Tamm. The goal is to bring galas to Canada and Quebec. It’s very important to them. They know that the pool of boxing fans is very important here and it’s something that we are going to do with them. »
“It’s in our plans,” Leanardi confirmed. I think our first event will be in Ontario with Lucas in the main fight or semi-final, but, as soon as Tamm has a little more experience, she will be able to secure a final or semi-final. final, we will want to come to Montreal, which is an excellent combat sports market. »
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