It's not yet the one he's dreaming of, but French heavyweight Tony Yoka still has the opportunity to afford his first professional belt against Belgian Joel Tambwe Djeko for the vacant European Union title. , Friday in Nantes.
A meeting that promises to be "an explosive fight", to use the words of Jérôme Abitboul, promoter of Yoka.
Already, Thursday afternoon, during the weigh-in, the two men almost came to blows and were separated by their team.
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The Belgian, now living in England, had indeed delivered a little slap to the Olympic champion who promised him "that we would settle that tomorrow in the ring".
In fact, it looks like Big Joe, as he calls himself, unwittingly stepped on the foot of the Frenchman who approached him until he touched him before the slap.
The passing of arms continued during the press conference.
Tony Yoka preferred to dodge the question about the incident: "Nothing happened," he maintained.
"I'm going to be frank, when I said around me that I was going to meet Tony Yoka, I who have English coaches, they did not know"
Joël Tambwe Djeko
And the Olympic champion added: “Today, I saw someone who knows his boxing, spectacular, and another always in the show and aggression.
It makes me want to win even more, ”he said, promising“ a great victory ”.
Joël Tambwe Djeko, questioned about what was being said about his opponent in England, chambered him: “I'm going to be frank, when I said around me that I was going to meet Tony Yoka, I who have English coaches, they did not know.
I had to tell them that it was the Olympic champion. ”
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