Tony Yoka In Action Friday From France
Heavyweight contender Tony Yoka, the 2016 Olympic gold medal sensation from Paris, has set his sights on his first professional belt. Yoka will battle Belgium-born Joel Tambwe Djeko in a 12-rounder for the vacant European Union title Friday at H Arena in Nantes, France.
In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, Estelle Yoka Mossley (8-0, 1 KO), the other half of boxing’s most prominent husband-and-wife duo, will fight German contender Verena Kaiser (14-1, 6 KOs).
The Yoka-Djeko card will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+ beginning at 2:40 p.m. ET/11:40 a.m. PT.
“I am excited to once again showcase my talents live in the United States on ESPN+,” Yoka said. “Djeko is a formidable opponent who I cannot overlook as I continue to move up the rankings.”
J-3 avant #LaConquete épisode 10. Cette première ceinture européenne est importante dans mon cheminement vers plus grand. Donc écouter les conseils de mes coachs est d’autant plus important. Avec ma #TeamYoka, je suis prêt pour le combat ???? @rakeem_madeit pic.twitter.com/5gCUDyNNcC
— Tony YOKA (@TonyYoka) March 2, 2021
Yoka (9-0, 7 KOs) became an instant sensation in his home nation when he became the first French boxer to win an Olympic super-heavyweight gold medal. Following a six-round decision victory over Jonathan Rice in his second pro bout, he notched six consecutive stoppage wins, including a first-round blitzing of former world title challenger Johann Duhaupas last September. Yoka returned last November on an ESPN+-streamed bill and scored a shutout 10-round decision over Christian Hammer. Djeko (17-2-1, 8 KOs) has never been stopped in a 20-fight career and has won eight consecutive bouts since a split decision defeat in 2016.
In other streaming action:
Undefeated French middleweight prospect Farrhad Saad (7-0-1), winner of six straight, will take on Bulgarian veteran Borislav Ivanov (9-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
In a six-round junior lightweight bout, Khalil el Hadri (10-0, 6 KOs) will fight Jon Martinez (7-6-5, 1 KO).
Marquis Johns is a unknown humorist and avid boxing fan. His love for the sweet science goes back to when matches were 15 rounds and has been covering fights since closed-circuit pay-per-views. Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth is not only a quote by Mike Tyson, it's also a pretty good reminder to keep your guard up.
