“It’s easier to become a champion than to stay one” – and its many variations – is possibly one of the biggest clichés thrown around by athletes associated with combat sports.
At all times, holders of world belts have expressed the immense difficulty in keeping the sacred fire after having accomplished the goal he had been eyeing since the beginning of their career.
For the past few years, IBF super-welterweight champion Marie-Ève Dicaire has made it quite popular by mentioning that it’s easy to get complacent as the successes pile up. That the temptation can be strong to cut corners.
Without going so far as to claim that he is already jaded after becoming the first ever welterweight champion in October, Oscar Rivas acknowledges that he will not lack motivation for the first defense of his title. on August 13 in Cali, Colombia.
The Montrealer of Colombian origin will thus have the chance to fight in front of his family for the first time since the start of his professional career. His fight against Lukasz Rozanski will be presented at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero, a stadium that can accommodate up to 40,000 fans.
“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for so long. Since the beginning of my professional career, I always wanted to fight in Colombia, Rivas said during a video conference earlier this week. To defend my world champion belt at home is very motivating. It gives me confidence in my abilities. I am very, very happy. »
But the return of the prodigal son to the country where he was born is not without coming with a good dose of pressure. During a press conference organized Tuesday in Bogotá, Rivas gave interviews for more than an hour and a half before speaking with some representatives of the Quebec media. However, he assures that all this attention motivates him.
“People recognize me in the street and seem very happy to meet a world champion,” explained the 34-year-old pugilist. Everyone encourages me. It’s motivating! »
“It’s the second time I’ve come to Colombia and the vibe presently here is very special. Everyone feels that this is an event that will be important, confirmed its manager Stéphane Lépine. For me, this will be an opportunity to fulfill a promise I made to him! »
Associated with Rivas since his arrival in Quebec after the Olympic Games in Beijing, China, in 2008, Lépine had indeed sworn to the young man that he would become world champion and that he would have the opportunity to fight in Colombia. And now, why stop on such a good path?
“We hope that Oscar becomes world heavyweight champion,” said promoter Yvon Michel. But before getting there, he will first have to get rid of Rozanski, a Pole who will fight outside his country for the first time since the start of his career. Note that he knocked out his compatriot and ex-world aspirant Artur Spilka in the first round last May. It was his most significant win to date.
Alvarez’s presence far from certain
In addition to Rivas, several other boxers from Groupe Yvon Michel should be part of the gala on August 13 and the name of Eleider Alvarez was immediately mentioned for obvious reasons.
That said, the presence of the former WBO light heavyweight champion is far from certain, he who has been absent from the competition since he was stopped in the ninth round by Joe Smith Jr. in a duel WBO playoff presented in August 2020 in the “bubble” of Las Vegas.
Now trained by Stéphane Larouche, Alvarez would normally have made his return to the ring on May 5 at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal, but he was forced to forfeit due to COVID-19. As of this writing, his future remains unclear.
“There is nothing decided yet,” said Michel. We’re going to have a chat with her coach. How things go in the gym will dictate what happens next. »
