By Robert Coster
In the 1970s boxing was booming in France with figures like Carlos Monzon, Jean Claude Bouttier, Emile Griffith, Bennie Briscoe, Willie Monroe fighting at the Palais des Sports in Paris. Back then, boxing was the “in” sport for the French movie elite. It now seems that after a long slump, a group of talented young boxers are once again attracting fans and TV.
There are two full-fledged boxing champions: WBA cruiserweight super champion Arsen Goulamirian (26-0, 18 KOs ) and WBC bantamweight titleholder Nordine Oubaali (17-0, 12 KOs). Also two quasi world champions in WBA lightweight gold titlist Yvan Mendy (40-4-1, 22 KOs) and WBA super middleweight gold champion Michel Soro (35-2-1, 24 KOs).
There are other young boxers that must be mentioned: Olympian medalist Souleymane Cissokho (11-0, 7 KOs), a promising super welterweight; Rachid Jkitou (28-0, 13 KOs), an unbeaten welterweight; and WBA Youth super middleweight champion Christian Mbili (13-0, 9 KOs).
Among this list of prospects, the one that stands out is sensational heavyweight and 2016 Olympic champion Tony Yoka (7-0, 6 KOs), a darling of the French Canal+ TV network.
WBA Cruiserweight Super champion is one of the real ones?
Back in the 90’s there were a ton of world champions from France in all weight classes. Even Ike Quartey’s, who is from Ghana, career was based out out of Paris. Boxing in France is kinda like the Midwest circuit or Tenessee, in that fighters fight often and don’t really seem to be matched up according to experience or skill level. I went to a fight card in Paris and there was a Cruiserweight fight between a guy with a 41-2 record, whom I had never heard of, against a guy with a 4-3 record. The guy with the 4-3 record dominated the fight! What does that tell you about how these fighters are matched up?