Tony Yoka lost for the third consecutive time on Saturday December 9 at Roland Garros. A crushing defeat which seemed to break the Frenchman, whose sporting slump contrasts with the Olympic glory which placed him on the royal road towards professional boxing with world ambitions. At 31, what does the future hold for him?
Published on: 10/12/2023 – 7:48 p.m.
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Tony Yoka suffered a third consecutive loss. Enough to plunge his professional future into a thick fog, after having experienced the peak of Olympic gold in Rio in 2016. Overtaken technically and in power by Ryad Mehry, to whom the judges unanimously gave victory on Saturday December 9 at the evening at Roland Garros, the Frenchman no longer knows what direction to take in his career. “ We need to talk about it with my team », This is the only response, laconic, that the person concerned gave to the question about his desire, or not, to persevere in the number art.
Brahim Asloum, also Olympic boxing champion in 2000, attended the opposition and closely followed Yoka’s career. “ Unlike his two previous defeats which were clearer and more violent, psychologically and physically, there is not much to play for.tempered the gold medalist from Sydney. I saw him take blows, accept them, come back to attack ».
On the other hand, he did not hesitate to point out the imperfect boxing of his compatriot: “ He lacked a little rhythm, he had to give more punches. You’re not going to settle for one or two punches when you have an opponent who hits you in sequences of four, five punches. He is an Olympic champion, the expectations are with him ».
What if the explanations were not only technical, physical or tactical? Yoka seemed completely idle, lost in the cold of Porte d’Auteuil, upon the announcement of his defeat, due to an incomplete performance which he had nevertheless considered sufficient. For Ryad Mehry’s trainer, the level displayed by his foal’s opponent is a mystery: “ His coach, Don Charles, is an excellent coachinsisted “coach Sam”. Maybe there wasn’t enough time for them to work… I don’t know what the problem is ».
« Is he still hungry? »
Mysterious enough to call into question an entire career plan, an entire life plan. Because it is indeed a life that Yoka had tried to trace with the contract with Canal+, making the encrypted channel the sole broadcaster of his gloves, with the promise of flashes within the world elite of boxers. Today, there is only one fight left on the contract which guarantees him substantial purses for each appearance.
« It’s never over, he’s very young, he’s 31so he can still do things, recalls coach Sam. There is a real question, it is either he finds the key, or he stops boxing, but it is possible that he finds “. Brahim Asloum also agrees with coach Sam, the situation is not necessarily an impasse: “ Come on, let’s ignore the fact that he lostimagine Asloum. Many boxers in the world have lost fights and become world champions. Now the real question is: is he still hungry or not? ? »
Becoming world champion, Yoka has probably given up on it. On the other hand, to come back strong and quickly, in boxing, public support is necessary to create excitement around your fights. After a failure in the partnership with Canal+, Yoka will very soon be at the time of choice.
