French boxing has just lost a champion.
Hervé Lofidi died Friday in Rouen, at the age of 34.
He had been battling an illness for two years.
He distinguished himself in January 2018 in Levallois-Perret (Hauts-de-Seine) by becoming French light-heavyweight champion.
A high-flying performance where he knocked out his opponent Siril Makiadi in the first round.
A year later, he entered the world rankings by obtaining an international belt (WBC-French speaking) at the expense of the Czech Vasil Ducar.
Diagnosed in 2020, he was forced to retire while he remained on a very favorable record of 14 wins for 3 losses.
On the extra-sporting level, he had played a role of mediator during the riots of September 11, 2021 in Val de Reuil (Eure), his town of origin.
A major conflict had degenerated between families of Kurdish origin and others of African origin in this locality of 14,000 inhabitants.
“He was a gentleman, modest and loyal.
He had a huge influence with young people.
From this point of view, it was an extraordinary model.
I was very moved each time I visited him because he spoke to me about the future, when we could see that he was very ill with the disease, that he had difficulty moving around.
He never complained, he gave us an exceptional lesson in courage.
He had a lot of class and was the pride of the city ”, greets Marc-Antoine Jamet, the mayor of Val-de-Reuil in the columns of Paris-Normandy.
Hervé Lofidi will be buried on Tuesday in the Muslim square of the town.
