It's a bit of a compendium of the career story of Carlos Takam which was played at Wembley Arena on Saturday night. The Franco-Cameroonian has once again demonstrated that he is a complete, technical, valiant fighter and able to worry the best heavyweights on the planet. But in the end, Armand Carlos Netsing Takam (39 wins including 28 by KO, 6 losses and a draw), his real name, once again lost in a shock of the premier category, against Joe Joyce. A setback which will therefore leave him at the door of a new world opportunity against the winner Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk. The two will face off in September for the WBA, IBF and WBO belts and the winner is expected to challenge Joyce.
Carlos Takam dominated the fight for five rounds before being surprised.
ANDREW COULDRIDGE / REUTERS
A stop of the referee too early?
Against Joyce, Takam however put everything in place during the first five times to win this fight.
Much smaller than his opponent (1.87 m against 1.98 m) but more mobile, the native of Douala varied his boxing, working patiently on the face and then on the body, without however managing to make the Briton waver, however disturbed and without solution. .
But when the Olympic champion, wait-and-see, found a small opening at the start of the sixth round on a terrible left hook, then a powerful right making him wobble, a shower of blows fell on him. Stunned, the strong Takam took lightning for about fifty seconds before the referee stops the fight. An early decision which surprised part of the public but especially Takam, immediately contesting the decision. In vain, of course.
History seems to repeat itself for Takam who was also hastily arrested four years ago on the tenth round after a heroic fight against Joshua (for the WBA and IBF titles) in front of 70,000 spectators. The Briton did not hesitate to pay tribute to his challenger described as an
indestructible “
cement block
”. By losing at 46, Takam probably missed one of the last opportunities to be offered a chance for a world title. The brave Franco-Cameroonian, fighter "
without frills
" and who does not step into the ring to "
dance and show off
" as he likes to define himself, lets the "Juggernaut" (35 years old and 13 victories in 13 fights) climb one more step towards world consecration.
Carlos Takam disappointed in his corner after the fight. ANDREW COULDRIDGE / REUTERS