By Luke Furman, photos by Robert Levesque/ Photo Zone Sport
Mikael Zewski and Groupe Yvon Michel have an agreement an agreement, which was formalized Friday morning.
The contract is a one year deal, which should move Zewski (28-1, 21 KOs) pretty fast in the coming months as three fights are going to take place in that timeframe, but the deal is potentially going to morph into a long-term agreement.
"I am very pleased with this agreement. We had other offers in the United States but my desire was to box here, close to my family and friends. It's a contract until August 2018, so it's going to go fast. This is the chance to show what I can do," said Zewski to La Presse. "My next fight will be for a belt. Then, I will be given the opportunity to face a known guy, to prove that I still have the flame. From there, the world's top 10 will be within my reach."
Michel goes further, as he evokes the idea of ??a world title.
"With his image, his dynamism and his athletic qualities, we have all the tools to bring him into the world championship. The real plan is that Mikaël finishes his career with us. This agreement of three fights, it gives us time to put everything in place. We are on the same wavelength with his manager Cameron Dunkin. We're going to the same place," Michel said.
Negotiations were long between the two sides. Zewski nearly fought this fall in Shawinigan on a map that would have been presented jointly by the Shawinigan Cataracts and Eye of the Tiger Management, a rival organization. Michel did not seem too irritated by the bumpy road that led to this association.
"It was long because his manager seemed to have other ideas to pursue. Communication was not easy at first. But everything has accelerated in recent weeks. It's a co-sponsorship agreement between us and Cameron Dunkin's company in the United States. It will allow Mikaël to fight as much in Quebec as he would on American soil. In all sincerity, I think this is the best possible plan for Mikael," Michel said.
Zewski spent the last years as part of the stable of Top Rank. Two years ago, however, his defeat at the hands of Konstantin Ponomarev changed the essence of their relationship. The boxer said he was tired of seeing broken promises, so he moved away from Top Rank in October 2016. Since then, Zewski delivered a fight last June against Fernando Silva (15-12-3), which he defeated by unanimous decision. This eight-round fight was scheduled on a GYM Group card at the Bell Center.
Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org.
