Tony Yoka lost, again. On the central court of Roland Garros, this Saturday, December 9, the French boxer disappointed and disappointed himself by losing for the third time in a row. Overtaken in impact by a conquering Ryad Mehry, the gold medalist in Rio in 2016 saw his career plunge into very troubled waters.
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More than 800 days, that is the gap that separated Tony Yoka from his last success in the noble art. The counter will climb again. Against Ryad Mehry, a light-heavyweight boxer moved up to category for the occasion, the Frenchman lost for the third time in a row by unanimous decision (96-94 for the three judges) and sees the rest of his career definitively compromised.
If Tony Yoka respected the expression “observation rounds” for the first two rounds, it was not the same for Ryad Mehry. So yes, the Belgian observed, but above all he showed the intentions with which he moved up the weight category and into the ring at Porte d’Auteuil. An economy in the volume of his strikes, but not in the violence with which he delivered them.
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Jabs, not much more
If Yoka distributed the jabs, not enough to the taste of his trainer who constantly asked for more flow, he had a long time difficulty offering anything else. By being boxed on a single blow, Merhy ended up setting her traps. First in fits and starts in the first three rounds, with most of his attacks blocked by the Habs’ defenses, before the fourth looked like a demonstration.
The native of Abidjan countered several times and shook the former Olympic champion. To the point of prickling his pride and forcing him to close the distance to start a fight. A game where Yoka was the weakest and at the end of which he returned to sit on his stool with a scarred face.
Calmed by the words of Don Charles, Yoka returned with the intentions that made up his initial plan: jabs with the front arm, distance and volume in the strikes, while waiting for the gap to place his back arm. A strategy which paid off temporarily and allowed the ex-Olympic boxer to win a few rounds. Insufficient to disturb Mehry who came back strong at the end of the eighth round then in the ninth to continue scoring.
“ We thought we had done enough »
When the bell rang for the last time, Don Charles’ protégé was certain of having won thanks to his front arm, which often hit, but without doing much damage, and having the impression of having overall effectively defended the Belgian offensives. “ We thought we had done enough to win », he also delivered, completely dejected, at the microphone of Canal+. Much more angry than disappointed, his trainer added another layer: “ I want to know what the judges looked at. […] Do judges count shots that are blocked by the arms? ? »
Asked about the rest of his career, the Rio 2016 medalist remained doubtful. Will it continue, will it not continue? One thing is certain, tonight, Tony Yoka said goodbye to his dreams of world glory.