By Vadim Pushkin
Former world champion and Olympic gold medalist Wladimir Klitschko recently went to Paris and sat down with 2016 Olympic gold medal winner Tony Yoka of France to discuss the possibility of turning professional with K2 Promotions.
Klitschko's company, K2 Promotions, represents current world champions, who were also Olympic medal winners, silver medalist Gennady Golovkin and gold medalist Oleksandr Usyk.
This past summer in Rio, Yoka defeated British heavyweight Joe Joyce in the final round by split decision. Joyce was looking to emulate his close friend, 2012 Olympic gold medal winner Anthony Joshua.
The ringside judges favoured Yoka's cleaner work over Joyce's strength and aggression. Yoka's greater accuracy found the favour of the judges, leaving Joyce with little hope in the last round but to press for an unlikely knockout. Joyce's style had been derided by Yoka in the build-up to the final, with the Frenchman describing him as a "robot" and questioning his punching power.
Yoka has been received in France as a national hero.
Adding to Yoka's national headlines was the fact that his girlfriend Estelle Mossely, who also fought for France in the Rio games, won women's lightweight gold. They were dubbed the 'golden couple' in France.
After Yoka won, Mossely told the press - "I knew he was hurt but he held on... I'm on a cloud. I cried for him, he showed his qualities. We are both Olympic champions, you can't get any higher. We won't be sleeping for a long time."