by Richard Cloutier
Former WBA super welterweight Joachim Alcine (32-2) is eager to get back in the ring. In an interview recently published by the newspaper 24H, Alcine confirms that his objective for 2011 is to get hold of a world title. He is being pushed by American promoter Don King to help him achieve his goal. Alcine, who lives in Quebec but a native of Haiti, would first face another former champion, Cory Spinks, in April.
"Spinks is a world-class boxer who, like me, lost his last fight. It is exactly the type of opponent that I'm looking for in order to climb that ladder again to a possible world title fight," said Alcine to 24H.
Joachim Alcine became world champion in July 2007, by virtue of a victory at the expense of Travis Simms, in a clash that was staged in Connecticut. He subsequently made a successful defense against Alfonso Mosquera at Bell Centre in Montreal, before suffering a powerful knockout at the hands of Daniel Santos in July 2008 at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal. He subsequently defeated Eric Mitchell and Christopher Canclaux. In July 2010, Alcine was again stopped by KO, this time in less than a round to Alfredo Angulo during a fight in California and fought as an eliminator for a WBC world title.
Joachim Alcine, who fought in Canada under the promotional banner of Groupe Yvon Michel alongside notably Jean Pascal, David Lemieux and Antonin Decarie, has seen his contract with them expire on December 1. Due to some issues, both parties have seen fit not to continue their journey together.
"I'll never box for them. They they did everything they could to tarnish my reputation in the end," he said, also to a journalist from 24H.
The former world champion is currently negotiating with a new promoter from Quebec, SP Promotions. The firm, which has recruited heavyweight Erik Barrak, a silver medalist at the Francophone Games in 2001, and currently in negotiations with Walid Smichet to come out of his retirement, plans to produce its first event on Feb. 25 at Centre Pierre-Charbonneau in Montreal.
If everything gets agreed upon, the main event of this first event will pit Eric Barrak against former world champion Tommy "The Duke "Morrison. Regarding the controversy about the HIV infection of Morrison, it seems that medical tests confirm the absence of infection. As for the co-feature, veteran American boxer Ray Mercer would face tenacious Stephane Tessier, who notably went the distance with Alexander Povetkin and Joe Mesi.
