A brilliant run by 19-year-old Vieux Fortian John Didier ended on Tuesday, December 9, at the Men’s World Boxing Championships in the United Arab Emirates, as he lost to the number two seed in the Round of 16.
In Session 9B at the Dubai Tennis Centre, the Saint Lucian teenager did well to hang with Spain’s Gazimagomedovich Jalidov in their elite men’s 75-80 kilogram light-heavyweight bout at the International Boxing Association (IBA) tournament. “Gazi” was an Olympic quarterfinalist at Paris 2024.
The Russian-born favourite came out swinging, but Didier largely blunted the early attack. Aged 30, the Spaniard is significantly more experienced and well-resourced than Didier. But after the first round, the Saint Lucian was still there, despite losing 10-9 on four of five cards, and 10-8 on the fifth.
Looking knackered in the second, Didier quickly found himself on the back foot. The Spaniard landed several telling blows, and his younger Saint Lucian rival was given a second standing eight-count with just 36 ticks remaining in that round.
On Friday, Didier became the first Saint Lucian boxer to advance beyond the first round of a world championship.
Also competing in Dubai was another 19-year-old Saint Lucian, Kyle Marcel, in the 75kg middleweight class. Mohommed Usaith of Sri Lanka, aged 22, defeated Marcel by a unanimous decision after three rounds, 30-26 on two cards, and 29-27 on three. Marcel won the first round on a split decision, 3-2, but faded in the second and third.
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Congratulations to both young men