Inaugural WBC Bridgerweight L’Olympia Theatre Montreal Canadian Fight Card Preview
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Montreal, Canada (October 22nd, 2021)– On Friday night, October 22, 2021, L’Olympia Theatre in Montreal, Canada, will host an exciting six-bout card of professional boxing, featuring the inaugural historic World Boxing Council Bridgerweight world title bout *between 200 and 224 pounds) between Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas and Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki, scheduled for 12 rounds, in the main event, televised on ESPN +. Former heavyweight contender Bryan Jennings was the original opponent for Rivas, but was unable to enter Canada because he is unvaccinated.
Rivas, 27-1 with 19 knockouts, Montreal, Canada by way of Cali, Columbia, and Rozicki, 13-0 with 13 knockouts, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, will fight for a title between cruiserweight and heavyweight which is brand new. The IBA has, and the old IBC had, a super cruiserweight division in the past, a sort of junior heavyweight division. The concept is meant for pro boxers exiting the cruiserweight division who are not full-blown heavyweights.
The world cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk ascended to the world heavyweight championship by defeating Anthony Joshua. What the WBC Bridgerweight division does is provide a junior heavyweight alternative. This is particularly applicable for smaller fighters in the 6’0″ 190 to 210 pounds zone, who really have no business moving up fighter gargantuan heavyweights at 6’5″ and up above 250 pounds, though you never know. The heavyweight division represents big money, but the cruiserweight division was new when it started a few decades back as well.
In the eight-round welterweight preliminary bout to the main event, Sebastien Bouchard, 19-2 with eight knockouts, Baie Saint Paul, Canada, will face Sergio “Checho” Ortega, 24-2 with 18 knockouts, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. In a six-round bout, 9-0 light heavyweight prospect Terry Osias, Longueuil, Canada, will face 9-9-3 Joaquin Murrieta, the current WBC Fecarbox Light Heavyweight champion, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. The card will open with three four-round preliminary bouts. 3-1 cruiserweight Francis Charbonneau, Saint Hyacinth, Canada, will face 1-1 Alexandre Roberge, Lanoraie, Canada. 4-0 super welterweight Kevin Menoche, Repentigny, Canada, will face 2-2 Thad Buntsma, Oshawa, Canada. Heavyweight prospect Alexis Barriere, 3-0, three knockouts, Quebec City, Canada, will face 5-1 Rafael Sanchez Rojas, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
MAIN EVENT – VACANT WBC BRIDGERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (12)
Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (27-1, 19 KOs), Montreal, Quebec, Canada 222.2 lbs.
Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (13-0, 13 KOs), Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada 203 lbs.
CO-FEATURE – WELTERWEIGHTS (8)
Sebastien Bouchard (19-2, 8 KOs), Baie-Saint-Paul, Ontario, Canada 148.6 lbs.
Sergio “Checo” Ortega (24-2, 18 KOs), Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico 148.2 lbs.
HEAVYWEIGHTS (6)
Francis Charbonneau (3-1, 1 KO), Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada 199.8 lbs.
Alexandre Roberge (1-1, 0 KOs), Lanoraie, Quebec, Canada 208 lbs.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS (6)
Terry Osias (9-0, 4 KOs), Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada 172.7 lbs.
Joaquin Murrieta (9-9-3, 7 KOs), Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico 173.4 lbs.
JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS (4)
Kevin Menoche (4-0, 4 KOs), Repentigney, Quebec, Canada 153.8 lbs.
Thad Ridsdill (2-2-1, 1 KO), Oshawa, Ontario, Canada 153.4 lbs.
HEAVYWEIGHTS (4)
Alexis Barriere (3-0, 3 Kos), Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada 235 lbs.
Rafael “Rafaga” Sanchez Rojas (5-1, 3 KOs), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico 211 lbs.
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