RDS2 and Sportish present the GYM gala featuring Zewski, Bouchard and Houle starting at 7 p.m. tonight.

The Quebecer Mikaël Zewski will face the Mexican Carlos Ocampo Manriquez this evening in the main fight of a gala of the Yvon Michel Group (GYM) presented at the Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières.

Zewski (35-2, 23 KOs) was originally scheduled to step into the ring against Ukrainian Serhii Bohachuk, but the latter withdrew as he was retained in his home country to defend him following of the Russian invasion.

Manriquez (32-1, 20 KOs) has agreed to replace him for this ten-round fight in which the WBC Continental Americas title will be at stake.

The Mexican’s only loss was in 2018, in a fight for the IBF middleweight title against current champion Errol Spence Jr.

Houle signs a second victory in a month

Marie-Pier Houle (6-0-1, 2 KOs) beat Serbian Valentina Keri (5-6, 0 KOs) by unanimous decision after a six-game bout rounds at the welterweight.

Two judges handed cards 60-54 and the other 59-55 in favor of Houle, who controlled the majority of the fight against the former kickboxing world champion whose winning streak ends at two.

Houle, a native of Trois-Rivières, thus signs a second victory in a little over a month after defeating Argentina’s Yamila Esther Reynoso on February 24.

“It’s fast, but I was so looking forward to boxing here that I don’t mind having two fights stuck together,” Houle said after the fight. I’ll deserve a little rest, but don’t worry, I’ll be back really soon. »

This is the very first professional boxing event to be presented at the Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières.

No fight with bitter taste for Bouchard

Former Canadian amateur champion Sébastien Bouchard (19-2-1, 8 K.-O.) had to settle for a draw against Mexican Ricardo Lara (22-9-1, 10 K.- O.) in a 10-round welterweight bout.

One judge handed Lara 97-93, another saw Bouchard winning 96-94 and the third judge handed 95-95.

“Very disappointed with the outcome of the fight, mentioned Bouchard. We started slowly. I will find no excuse, I boxed badly at the start of the fight. I think I finished the fight well and deserved a better fate. We could have saved ourselves with the victory. »

With three of his fights canceled over the past year, Bouchard was re-entering the ring after more than a year of inactivity and needed a few rounds to get going.

He imposed his rhythm from the fourth, even shaking a few times a lack of energy Lara in the second half of the fight, but it was not enough to seduce two of the three judges.

“I am a winner in life, insisted Bouchard. To make a fight like that, to come out badly in front of a nice crowd. I’m a little disappointed with myself, but we’ll get over it. »