Conceived as a series in prime time with irregular diffusion, the “Conquest” delivers its episode 10. Tony Yoka advances, this Friday in Nantes (9 pm, Canal +), towards the 10th fight of his professional career.
#Yokadjeko #LaConquete
Yoka, a belt, a new stage in the conquest
▶ ️ https://t.co/L4zkzmVGk7 pic.twitter.com/AcUBEC4txv
- CANAL + Boxe (@CanalplusBoxe) March 3, 2021
The Olympic heavyweight champion is opposed to the Belgian Joël Tambwe Djeko.
With a (small) stake: a belt of the European Union of heavyweights and the opportunity of a first professional catch of the Frenchman.
Ranked 13th in the world, Yoka should normally get rid of this light heavyweight opponent and ranked 58th for the benchmark site BoxRec.
Djeko (31 years old, 17 V, 1 N, 2 D) is less well classified than the last two rivals of the Parisian, Hammer (44th) and Duhaupas (45th).
“When I look at my course, I notice well ranked opponents, renowned opponents.
After 9 fights, I am already world number 13 and this Friday, I am fighting for a belt.
It is a first step.
I had given myself 15 fights to be world champion and I'm on the right track, ”sums up the Frenchman.
"His rivals are no less good"
Hermetic to critics, Yoka - child of the Twitter generation, therefore more exposed than his elders at their beginnings - will still hear reproaches on the supposed weakness of his opponents.
Are they founded?
"When we compare the records of his first opponents with the pedigree of those of the greatest champions, there is nothing shocking or disturbing", thinks Jean-Philippe Lustyk, author of the "
Big book of boxing ”(Marabout editions, 35 euros).
Fury, Joshua, Wilder, Povetkin and Usyk, the current five best heavyweights in the world, have also started easily beating opponents without reference to grow.
"Tony is not doing less well than them," confides the former voice of boxing on Canal +.
A career is built and his rivals are no less good than those faced by his elders at the same stage of their progression.
"
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Boxing: "I'm on the right track," says Tony Yoka
Out of 9 initial outings all won, Yoka, who will soon train in Houston (Texas), was pushed to the limit twice by Rice in October 2017 and Hammer in November 2020. He won the other 7 fights by KO passing. a minimum of time in the ring.
“In Belgium, everyone knows Tony, admits Joël Tambwe Djeko.
But not in England where I live and train.
Yoka doesn't stay known there and I didn't know much about him before I fought him.
In England, the boxing world makes the connection with him when we say:
It is the winner of the Englishman Joyce in the final of the Games
.
Joe Joyce, ranked 12th in the world with 12 fights to his credit, could cross paths with his winner in Rio quite quickly.
Yoka wants it anyway.
Mormeck awaits the "benchmark fight"
“He met opponents chosen not to be too dangerous to give him confidence and that's normal, judges the former six-time world champion Jean-Marc Mormeck.
Now it must rise to a crescendo.
I haven't seen him in a benchmark fight yet.
The real test would be that he faces Andy Ruiz
(No.6)
, Joshua's killer.
Yoka must face a champion.
There, we can compare and judge because we do not yet know its level.
The challenge against the pot-bellied but powerful Ruiz could come but it is not scheduled.
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Because the "Conquest" has a concern: its delay.
The year of suspension and the Covid weighed down the initial forecasts which predicted a global chance around 2020-2021.
“We know why, but compared to the three giants Fury (32 years), Joshua (31 years), Wilder (35 years), Yoka (28 years) is late, continues Lustyk.
These three, after four years in the pros, were close to 20 fights.
Olympic champion in 2012, Joshua is world champion in 2016. Ali was after more than 20 fights.
What Yoka lacks is the intensity, the activity of the fights.
"
D-2 before #LaConquete episode 10. Work can only pay off.
Meet the European belt on Friday evening.
I'm ready.
And you?
#TeamYoka 🥊🥊 pic.twitter.com/CjTM45qPPN
- Tony YOKA (@TonyYoka) March 3, 2021
The kings of the category reached the milestone of 10 fights after just two years.
Yoka has already taken twice as long.
"I've never seen him in trouble before," Mormeck continues.
I admit that I find it hard to believe in him.
I want to change my mind, but he has to help us.
He said:
I will be world champion…
Show me that you can.
He has qualities, but he must take action.
"
The world title is Tony Yoka's obsession.
He voiced that goal even before his first fight in 2017. “Fury, Joshua and company have an eye on him because they know he's going up,” Lustyk says.
They will have to meet him when he has a bigger track record.
And when the American TVs, which hold the key, will say to themselves:
Oh yeah, Yoka, here is an interesting guy.
"
