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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Crucial Moment For Oscar Rivas
By Daniel Cloutier
VERONA, NY. — The Montrealer Colombian Oscar Rivas knows
that he is living the most crucial moment of his pro boxing
career. Friday evening in the ring of the Turning Stone
Casino in Verona, New York, Rivas (25-0-0) will face Bryant
Jennings (26-2-0), from Philadelphia, in a WBO heavyweight
elimination bout and in a NABO North American championship.
The winner of this elimination bout will become the WBO
second contender in the heavyweight division.
“No doubt, it’s the most important bout of my pro boxing
career,” said Rivas.” And Jennings is certainly the most
dangerous opponent I got so far in pro boxing. I will need
to fight with concentration and intensity from the beginning
to the end of the fight. Believe me, I will do it.”
When we asked Rivas what are the best qualities of his
rival, Rivas smiled. “He is complete fighter who commits
rarely a technical mistake,” said Rivas. “I studied him
several times in watching videos, I will need to deliver a
solid performance in the circumstances.”
When we asked him which strategy he is expecting to use
against Jennings, Rivas hesitated before giving an answer.
“Against a fighter like him, I got to be very patient and
attack at the right moment,” said Rivas. “I know that the
strategy will be a major factor in this bout.”
The winner of this bout will certainly get his chance in a
world championship bout this year or next year. “It’s really
my intention to dispute a world championship fight, but at
this point, I am totally concentrate on Jennings. You know
as me that I need absolutely to win this fight to stay in
position for a world championship fight. It’s a big
challenge, and I am ready to face it.”
Several people in the boxing circles criticized Rivas after
his win by unanimous decision against the Brazilian Fabio
Meldonado (26-1-0) December 1st at the Videotron Centre in
Québec City. Some trainers said that Rivas got the worst
performance of his pro boxing career.
“I really tried to win by KO, but like you saw it, Maldonado
is extremely resistant,” said Rivas. “But this fight with
Maldonado is not in my mind now. As I said, my focus is on
Jennings.”
When we asked to the trainer Marc Ramsay to evaluate
Jennings, he agrees with his fighter. “It’s true that
Jennings is a complete fighter who rarely commits an error
in defense,” said Ramsay. “But Oscar is perfectly prepared
for this challenge, mentally, physically, technically and
strategically, and I am expecting from him a great
performance in Verona. I am sure that Oscar will give
absolutely everything he has to win that bout.”
Ramsay believes that Rivas will get his chance in a world
championship bout before the end of the year. “Rivas is
never refusing an opponent, and if he got to face the
British Anthony Joshua for the WBO world title this year, he
will certainly accept the challenge. Joshua is a great
fighter, but Oscar is ready to elevate in the boxing major
leagues.”
Joshua has also a perfect record of 22-0-0 with 21 wins by
KO or TKO. At his last world championship bout, Joshua beat
the excellent Russian fighter Alexander Povetkin (34-2-0) by
TKO in less than seven rounds.
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