Boxing: Clavel and Houle ready for latest challenge in Montreal

Kim Klavel and Fara El Bousairi weigh in ahead of their fight on April 4th (Photo Credit: Groupe Yvon Michel)

On Thursday, both Kim Clavel and Marie Pier Houle will be back in the ring as Houle faces Marisa Joana Portillo while Clavel faces a Moroccan in the main event, Fara El Bousairi.

El Bousairi made a massive drop in weight, as confirmed by Clavel who spoke to PSP Media in an exclusive interview last week.

“It’s been six months”, she told me. “ I feel excited and I can’t wait to be back in the ring and hear the bell.” The home fighter once again was super excited to be back in camp for another stoush.

“ he training camp was very good and I had a lot of fun in the last few months and working with Danielle (Bouchard) we had good sparring sessions and I am really enjoying the journey.”

I was able to ask Clavel what she knew of her opponent and she is cognisant of the task ahead.

“She lives in Spain and she’s a good fighter who fought in a heavier weight class around 152-153kg and for this fight, we will be at 50kg and she is very physical and rough with great technique but she has a big mouth." - Canadian boxer, Kim Clavel on Fara El Bousairi

“She has good experience and I know it won’t be easy but it is honestly something I like to do.”

I asked Clavel straight up what to expect from her opponent and she is hoping for the best but ready to go all the way if she has to.

“I think she will come to fight and she is an aggressive fighter and she will give everything in the ring till the end of the fight and I will have to use my technique and my footwork.”

Clavel only has two losses on her record after losing two title fights to Yesica Nery Plata and Evelin Bermudez and I asked her if there are plans for a potential rematch.

“I really hope so”, she answered. “It takes time but the plan to go back into a World Championship fight it can be at 105, 108, 112 I honestly don’t care I want to go back into a World Championship fight.”

“We will see in the future but right now the focus is on the upcoming fight.”

Check out our interview with Canadian Olympic coach and coach of Kim Clavel, Danielle Bouchard.

Marie-Pier Houle super pumped to be fighting again against another tough opponent 

Marie-Pier Houle and Marisa Joana Portillo weigh in ahead of their April 4 bout (Photo Credit: Groupe Yvon Michel)

In another exclusive interview, we got to speak with another Quebecois fighter who is facing off against a powerful Argentinian, Marisa Joana Portillo, in the 140-pound weight class.

“The training camp was good”, Houle told me. “ I am in very good shape and I am feeling mean and ready for the fight and I am super excited to get back in the ring after a six-month break.”

Houle even shared some of the scouting report on her South American opponent.

“She has a lot of experience and she has fought 41 times and she has fought in different weight classes and she likes to put pressure but also fights like a wrestler and I honestly don’t want to get stuck in that.” - Marie-Pier Houle on her upcoming opponent, Marisa Joana Portillo

“It is not in my gameplan so I need to be cautious and I need to stay in my gameplan and it’s going to be my fight so she won’t have her way with me.”

The sold-out event will be at the Montreal Casino on Thursday night starting at 7:00 pm and the event can be seen only on pay-per-view.