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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Germain & Claggett Ends In Draw
By Daniel Cloutier
MONTRÉAL - The Montrealer super lightweight Mathieu Germain,
who really wants to see his name appears in the Top 15 of
the IBF ratings in the weeks to come, could be forced to
wait before he sees his objective realized.
Saturday evening in the ring of the Montréal Casino Cabaret,
this IBF 140 pounds North American championship opposing
Germain to Steve Claggett, from Calgary, Alberta, finished
by a draw.
Germain, who was proceeding to the second defense of his
title is still IBF North American champion in the
circumstances.
At the end of this intense, violent and close fight, a judge
scored the bout 96-94 for Germain (16-0-1), another one
96-94 for Claggett (27-5-2) and the third one got a card of
95-95. It was a 10 rounder.
“I am extremely disappointed by this result,” said Germain
in getting out of the ring. “I really believe I was
deserving the win. I am positive I dominated more rounds
than my rival. My punches were more accurate than most of
his shots. I guess that a rematch is logical in the
circumstances.”
Claggett also believes that this verdict is a deception for
him. “No doubt in my mind, I should be the winner of this
fight,” said Claggett right after the bout. “I was more
aggressive than him in most of the rounds. If this fight was
a 12 rounder, I am sure I would win by KO or TKO. I was more
energetic than him at the end of the fight. I really hope
that a rematch between us will be organized by The Eye Of
The Tiger Management Group. I am ready to come back in
Montréal to dispute this rematch. I really like to fight in
Montréal.”
Several boxing fans in Montréal are considering Claggett
like a... trouble maker. Last year, Claggett surprised the
Montrealer Yves Ulysse Jr, (17-1-0) in Montréal, beating him
by split decision. Claggett became the first one to prevent
Ulysse and Germain to score a win.
Makhmudov Expeditive
The Montrealer Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov, a fighter of 6.6
feet, 250 pounds, that several boxing writers see as an
eventual world champion, obtained his sixth win in pro
boxing (6-0-0), beating Jason Bergman (27-16-2), from
Alabama State, by TKO in the first round.
Makhmudov, who provoked two knockdowns, hurt seriously his
opponent with is power shots.
Makhmudov won the fight with only 97 seconds of action.
Makhmudov has the ambition to fight soon heavyweights ranked
in the world.
The super middleweight Sadriddin Akhmedov, a fighter from
Kazakstan who is living in Montréal since a year, stayed
undefeated in seven pro bouts (7-0-0) with a victory by TKO
in the fourth round over the Mexican Abraham Juarez
(13-2-0). Akhmedov sent twice his opponent on the floor in
the fourth round, forcing the referee to declare Juarez TKO.
Akhmedov is an excellent fighter technically and he his
punching solidly. He won all his pro bouts by KO or TKO.
Considering as a very promising fighter, Akhmedov, a boxer
of 20 years old, just scored the most significant win of his
pro boxing career. It was a Junior 168 pounds World
championship.
The middleweight Vincent Thibault, from Québec City, kept
his perfect record (8-0-0) in beating the Mexican Juan
Sergio Torres Perez (5-7-0) by unanimous decision in six
rounds.
Thibault, who controlled the action in every round, provoked
a knockdown in the third round. The three judges scored the
fight 60-53, showing the clear domination by Thibault.
Thibault has a good chance to dispute a North American
championship bout later this year or next year.
The super welterweight Raphael Courchesne, from
Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, improved his pro record to 5-0-0
with a victory by unanimous decision in six rounds over the
Mexican Alejandro Chavez Meneses (9-4-0).
Courchesne has been victim of a knockdown in the first
round, but he came back with intense attacks and he finally
won the fight.
Courchesne dominated clearly five of the six rounds of the
bout.
The fight between the super featherweight François Pratte
(8-0-1), from Trois-Rivières, Québec, and the Mexican Sergio
Silva (6-2-1), finished by a draw. The referee stopped the
bout in the first round, when the two fighters has been
injured by an accidental head butt.
The light heavyweight Lexson Mathieu, from Québec City, made
spectacular pro debut. He won by TKO in the first round
against the Mexican Edgar Santoyo (2-2-2). Mathieu is
considering as one of the best prospects of the Canadian pro
boxing.
In the opening bout of the evening, the super featherweight
Kaemy Cloutier, also from Trois-Rivières, scored his second
win in pro boxing (2-0-0) in beating the Mexican Saul
Alejandro Meza (4-4-0) by unanimous decision in four rounds.
Cloutier hopes to be involved in a Canadian championship
before the end of the year.
In the only female bout of the event, the Montrealer
flyweight Kim Clavel stayed undefeated (6-0-0) in pro
boxing, with a win by TKO in the fourth round over the
Mexican Luz Elena Martinez (5–2-0). Clavel attacked
energetically in each round, and in the fourth round, the
referee intervened to declare Martinez TKO.
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